


Riding in Cars With Peeta

by ImBeautifullyHuman



Series: Scent of A Woman 2.0 [2]
Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games (2012) RPF, Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Car Sex, College, Dating, Dirty Talk, F/M, Interracial Relationship, Long-Distance Relationship, Public Sex, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2017-11-26 19:17:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 39,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImBeautifullyHuman/pseuds/ImBeautifullyHuman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>NOMINATED for EverLark Smut Award 2013, Category - Best Car. Katniss has come a long way in opening up sexually to Peeta. What happens when they have a hard time finding a place to be alone on hot, steamy summer nights? This is a series of one-shot outtakes from the  Scent Of A Woman universe.  Although I've statused this work as COMPLETE, I will be adding little drabbles ongoing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cabin Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this one-shot, our favorite couple do what many have done since Henry Ford's wonderful contribution hit the streets. Katniss has never been good at expressing herself. Especially when it comes to sex. Our couple has a hard time finding the privacy they need to show how much they really want each other. Enjoy!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games nor any characters used in this story. Rated M for sexual themes and dirty talk.

 

**Summer 2009, After Katniss & Peeta's Freshman Year in College**

**Summer 2009, After Katniss & Peeta's Freshman Year in College**

The movie was not all that interesting. But, even if it had been, the drama and angst of teenage vampires were no match for the delectable distraction seated next to him. They sat in the very last row of the theatre, away from everyone else. They rarely had time alone, so quiet movie theaters were preferable to all the other places they could have been. Her house was no good, as it was constantly occupied by her mother and Prim. His house was even worse with its…um, well…inhabitants who were opposed to their union.

Normally, they'd meet up at Finnick O'dair's, his best friend. But, his dad picked this particular summer to be the father he probably should have always been and decided to lessen his travel schedule to spend more time with his son. Of course, 'more time' for the senior O'dair meant that he slept at home instead of abroad, usually with some leggy bimbo wrapped around him. Nonetheless, it meant no secret hide-away for Peeta and Katniss. They would have to make do.

This particular movie, a popular one, had been out a few weeks so it wasn't as crowded as it would normally have been. Sometimes the crappier movies provided a little more solitude. The couple typically arrived early so that they could claim the top row and watch the others arrive. Then they'd leave before the credits started rolling; Predicting the end of the movie was the trickiest part, but they'd made a game of it.

She lifted the adjustable armrest that was situated between them to form a little loveseat of sorts and snuggled close to him. He wrapped his arm around her and went in for a kiss; the first of the night. He noted the sweet softness of her lower lip as he pulled it between his own two.

"I've been waiting all night to do that."

"Well, Mellark. You can just do that again."

The only thing softer and wetter than her mouth was…her other spot. The thought of it started as a bubble in his belly and exited his mouth as a moan against her lips. Their physical relationship was growing and they were becoming less shy with each other. The problem is and has always been finding ample time alone to explore each other. But, they didn't mind. They'd been friends since first grade and just enjoyed being together. A little making out here and some heavy petting there kept the raging Everlark fires going.

But, he'd be lying if he said that sex with her didn't invade his thoughts 101% of the time. After all, he was still considered a horny teenaged boy even after completing his freshman year of college. He was a virtual monk while away at school to avoid any chance that she would not trust him. He didn't even go out very much just in an effort to lessen her suspicions and grow her confidence in him. He wasn't interested in other girls and preferred to Skype with Katniss whenever he had a free moment. He was hers and she was his and no amount of distance was going to change that.

They had only been together in the physical sense about a dozen times since the first time, thanks to the distance and the general...awkwardness about their relationship. Katniss insisted they tell as few people as possible for fear it'd get back to his mother and make his life a living hell. Oh, sure they spent lots of time together when they could, but rarely with any privacy. In some ways, he supposed, this was a good thing. It forced them to focus on each other and to talk rather than making out every chance they got but the chemistry between them was mind-boggling. He took special care in letting her know that his feelings for her had little to do with what lay behind his zipper. Still, it was hard in more ways than one to be around her without catching wood in a major way.

She was gorgeous and sexy in a very unassuming way. She wasn't showy and overdone like most girls, and he loved this. Katniss had the kind of sex appeal that wasn't on display for everyone to see. She wasn't like that girl, Glimmer, that his mom had him introduced to. Katniss' charms were reserved for the special guy in her life…him. He kept his desires in check most of the time, but tonight was proving to be particularly difficult. He wanted her. In a big way.

Peeta's lips on hers left her breathless, as usual. His mint-coated tongue combined with the ever-present cherry lip balm was a familiar and welcomed sensation in her mouth. Her skin had been craving his touch for months now. Spring break had flown by way too fast. The summer was still fresh and they were getting acclimated to each other again. Each break which brought him back home felt like starting all over again…in a good way. He'd been home for over a week now and they still had not found time to be really and truly alone.

The more they kissed, the more the details of the movie faded in importance. The more the movie faded, the more they kissed until they just didn't care about the damn thing anymore. She had both her legs thrown over his lap and her hand nestled deep within the bed of blonde locks on his head. When she tugged on them lightly, he let out a soft "Hhmmhh…" against her mouth. When his lips travelled along her jaw and neck, she returned the sentiment. She'd left her thick, curly hair down tonight instead of in its usual braid. Peeta loved it that way and was showing his appreciation by bunching it between his fingers as he probed her mouth. He then ran one hand along her shoulder and down the length of her arm as the other encircled her waist. He felt the goose bumps pebbling her soft skin.

"Cold?"

"Just keep warming me up," she replied.

He struggled to keep his strokes along her summer-bare legs respectable in such a public place, but she was doing such things to him! The pressure between his thighs was building and he kept clenching them together to offer some friction. She noticed this and shifted her leg a little higher on his lap to relieve some of the pressure. Misreading this as her granting access to what lie beneath her cotton miniskirt, he glanced around before ghosting a finger over the crotch of her underwear.

The contact made her gasp aloud causing the stern looking woman in front of them to turn around and utter, "Shhhh!" They jumped apart quickly as if doused with cold water. They giggled quietly at her ridiculous updo, overdone makeup and gaudy attire that were a bit much for a movie. The woman turned back around and muttered something that sounded like, "Manners!"

"Dear, God!" he whispered as he pulled away. "We need to stop before we get thrown out of here." But, he didn't come to his senses soon enough before noticing that her panties were soaked at the center. How he longed to stroke his fingers along her skin and make her writhe. But, he was a good boy and this was not acceptable public behavior.

"Yeah, I know," she agreed. As they looked up at the screen, they made note of the tell-tale signs of the dramatic score indicating that a final scene was soon to come.

"Want to get out of here now?" he asked.

"Yes, may as well. I don't even remember the plot." He smiled cockily at knowing that he caused her short-term amnesia.

The ride home was silent but the desire between them was palpable. They held hands the entire way and exchanged looks mixed with shyness and lust. When they pulled into her driveway, the security lights were out and she made a mental note to turn them on once inside.

"Sorry I ruined the movie for you." He wasn't, really.

"I'm not," she said. "I missed you." She scooted closer to his side of the vehicle.

"Me, too."

He killed the engine. The kissing resumed. But, modern cars with their technological consoles and their ergonomic gear shifts are not conducive to front seat make-out sessions; which would explain why teenagers are not consulted as a focus group for the design of personal transportation. He pulled her forward and wrapped his hand around the back of her head. She probed his mouth with her tongue and sought out the hem of his t-shirt. She just needed to touch some part of him, any part of him. She wanted to feel his warm skin underneath her hands. Running her fingers along his muscular chest, she hoped, would ease the ache of not touching him on a regular basis; but, it didn't and the fire that was started on the back row of the movie theater was reignited right there in the driveway of the Everdeen residence.

"Oh, Katniss…" he hissed when her short fingernails grazed over his nipple. "I want you too much, baby…we'd better say good night."

"Okay…" she said, having never sounded more reluctant in her life.

"Unless…" She looked at him with a cautious expression filled with curiosity at his next proposal. "…you want to sit in the back seat for a little while."

Her eyes flickered slightly for a second before her usual sensibilities set in. "I don't know, Peeta. I'm sure the sound of the car doors would wake mom and Prim. We may as well call it a night and try to see each other tomorrow."

The disappointment in her voice was evident. And Peeta Mellark was not one to disappoint his lady. Thinking quickly, as is the talent of young men in the pursuit of sexual relief, he said, "We can crawl into the back." He bit his lip in anticipation as her intense gray eyes surveyed the surrounding neighbors' yards.

"I mean, it is dark, but…" His silent thoughts started to weigh on him. 'Jeez, Mellark! She's gonna think you're a damn pervert!'

But, his lady was quick. She had half-scaled the front seat before 'Okay' even left her luscious lips. Now, crawling after her with a half-hard erection was an athletic feat but he was up to the challenge. They settled themselves, barely, in the cocoon of the back seat before resuming their kisses with a little more tenderness. He thought to himself, 'Slow down, Peeta.' He took a couple of deep breaths and searched her face for understanding.

"Can you forgive me for missing you so much?"

"Always."

His hand resumed its survey of her sleek, smooth legs. He kissed the soft planes of her face before moving back to her lips. By the time his lips reached her neck, it was obvious to the both of them that they wanted more than mere kissing. This would do little to provide them with the closeness that they craved. She needed to feel the heat of his skin beneath her hands. He craved the hum of her flesh beneath his lips when he kissed her breasts. She grabbed his large hand and placed it over her breast which he pushed and kneaded, causing her womanly parts to tingle.

All sense and sensibilities began to slip away with each turn as they probed each other's mouths further. The funny thing about tight spaces and short skirts is that they are not very accommodating to each other. His fingers travelled up her thigh and once again grazed the outside of her undergarment and he wondered if there was any possible forethought on her part in wearing this item of clothing. How she ended up straddling his lap, she'll never know…or care to know. But, she did.

She found it interesting that straddling your boyfriend while wearing a short skirt lent itself to all sorts of amazing possibilities. And Peeta was learning quickly how to navigate this situation for the both of them. He positioned himself by sitting closer to the edge of the seat to allow her more depth to place her knees behind him; thereby bringing her closer to right where he wanted her to be…flush against his zipper. It wasn't exactly contact, but it was something.

She smiled deviously against his mouth and planted soft kisses on his plump lips. He could feel the flutter of her eyelashes as she covered his face with soft pecks of her lips. When he began to rock his hips forward, her gasps registered hot along his jaw as she cupped his face in her hands. She could feel his hands grip her hips to hold her steady as his khaki shorts got acquainted with her blue cotton panties.

He kissed her around the neckline of her top to its limits and willed himself not to come in his pants. Her moans weren't helping. The windows were fogging over in the Arizona heat and the car was taking on a hot, heady feel of unleashed desires. He nuzzled himself against her chest in desperation and raked his teeth over the cloth around her nipples.

She gasped from pleasure.

He apologized out of embarrassment.

"No, don't be sorry," she whispered.

Katniss sensed his desire to get just a little closer. She wanted to feel his lips on even a small part of her body. She slowly lifted her top and bra to poise just above the swell of her breasts and to give him clear access to her taut peaks. 'Maybe just one nipple', he thought to himself. But, that would never do.

He devoured her breasts while gently gripping them and directing them to his mouth. Her head was thrown back as she arched herself onto his hot tongue and drove her crotch closer against his. He licked and sucked and she writhed until she nearly came. The skirt which provided minimal coverage in this position was now totally useless as it bunched around her waist. "Can I touch you, Katniss?" he hissed against her chest.

She loved when he asked permission. It was so damned chivalrous it made her hot! "Yes, Peeta. Touch me." He moved her underwear aside and stroked her along her soft, wet flesh. The first contact of his hand to her bare center sent her slumping against him with her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, God!" She gripped his shoulders and rode his fingers like there was no tomorrow. He swirled his thumb around her clit while he inserted another finger inside her. His mouth stayed latched to one nipple as the other hand kneaded and teased its twin. The only thing greater than his own pleasure was when he was able to bring her to ecstasy; and the sounds coming from her mouth indicated that she was nearly there. He could feel she was getting close.

"Ah, fuck!" fell from her lips, to his surprise. Katniss was not one for much dirty talk. Her caution about sex came from her parents' expectations. Her mother had warned her repeatedly of the dangers of premarital sex saying 'Once that horse is out of the barn, it's hard to get it back in.' Well, unbeknownst to Iris Everdeen, Katniss' horse had been out of the barn for two years now and was being ridden by one Peeta Mellark. She'd always been the oblivious type anyway, so Katniss had decided to let her live in oblivion.

From the rear window of Peeta's car, Katniss could see a light flicker on in a downstairs room of the Kravitz household across the street. Mrs. Kravitz was a nosey old bitch. She didn't talk much to anyone, but she always had her eyes peeled at her neighbors' comings and goings. She was about to ruin the comings going on at the Everdeen house and that did not set well with Katniss! She prayed for the light to go back off, but instead saw the blinds open. She could see the outline of the stupid curlers Mrs. Kravitz wore even during the day.

'Shit!' she thought. Perhaps it was the cloudy brain that ruled in times of passion or perhaps it was pure rational thinking. Katniss surmised (hoped?) that the dark night, lack of lighting and fogged over windows would serve them well as she was not prepared to abandon her post on top of her man. So she flicked the thoughts from her mind and told herself that the nosey old bitty would just get an eyeful if she could even see at all!

As wonderful as the feeling of Peeta's hand was, she couldn't help but think it was all unfair. She was getting off and he needed to as well. No other lights had flickered on and she was sure that her mom and Prim were sound asleep inside. Besides, she wanted more. While Peeta certainly had talented hands, there was another part of his anatomy that was the star of her wet dreams. And she was quickly displacing her caution with wanton want.

In a fit of unbridled horniness she thought to herself, 'Fuck it,' and reached down to undo the fly on his khaki shorts. In the process, she displaced his hand from its delicious task and she felt cold where his hand had been. He wondered if maybe he'd done something wrong until he felt her hands undoing the zipper and clasp on his pants. Without any further instruction, he lifted his hips as she slid the garments low enough to reveal his wonderful throbbing manhood.

* * *

Katniss never envisioned their first time of the summer being in the back seat of a car. As for Peeta, he felt she was worthy of more: being made love to on a bed laden with rose petals and surrounded by candles, with soft music and even softer kisses. But, his loins ached with want and need so badly that his balls felt like lead. That's what his roomie had called him all semester, Old Lead Balls. Kurt Glosster, Gloss for short, was a jerk of the highest magnitude.

**_A Few Weeks Earlier_ **

_'You just keep wanking off thinking about your hot little hometown pussy, Lead Balls. I'm going to scout at some real pussy at that party tonight.'_

_Peeta just laughed and brushed him off, 'Thanks, but I've got some studying to do. Tell you what. You can have my portion, okay?'_

_Gloss shook his head ashamedly, 'Peet, man. Katniss is hot, for sure. But, what she doesn't know won't hurt her. Your secret'll be safe with me.'_

_'Why is it so hard for you to get that I don't want to fuck other girls?'_

_'But, you must wanna fuck! Right? Just pretend they're her!'_

_Peeta turned back to his computer to hide the redness creeping up his neck. 'Drop it, man.'_

_'I'm telling you, all the blood rushing to your under-stimulated nut sack has affected your thinking. Not good for the grades, man. If you change your mind, just text #hornybastard to my cell and I'll round'em up for ya!' His roommate walked towards the door, shoulders shaking with raucous laughter at his own stupid jokes. He stopped before walking out and turned back to Peeta, 'Shit, at least get yourself some phone sex tonight. I don't want to wake up to you jerking your beef under the covers again.'_

_The pillow Peeta tossed at his head hit the back of the door as he slammed it and slid towards the floor, missing him by a just a millisecond._

_'Asshole.'_

_Peeta tapped his pencil against his lips. 'Wonder what Katniss is up to.'_

_He glanced at the clock. It was 9:00pm in Georgia which meant it was only 7:00pm in Arizona. She'd be off work by now. He knew they'd talked earlier that same day, but dammit he missed her. Maybe seeing her face would give him something to fantasize about at bedtime. He located the Skype app on his computer and called her account. No answer._

_'She's probably making dinner or helping Prim with homework.'_

_She always kept her cell phone nearby in case he called. He fished his cell phone out of his desk drawer, walked over to his bed and stretched out before dialing her number. He'd been studying for hours and his back needed a break. He wasn't surprised when she answered on the first ring._

_..._

_1500 miles away, Katniss felt her phone vibrate on their old kitchen table as she hovered over Prim assisting her with a geometry problem. She saw Peeta's grainy picture light up her old flip phone and snatched it up quickly as she turned to leave the room. Prim rolled her eyes and this earned her Katniss' middle finger in return. She bopped down the hallway to her darkened room and shut the door._

_'Hey.'_

_'Hello, beautiful.'_

_'Two calls in one day. You must miss me.' She threw herself across her bed and lay on her back._

_'Damn right, I do. Whatcha doin?'_

_'Helping the brat with her homework. You?'_

_'Thinking about my girlfriend and enjoying having the room to myself.'_

_'Ah, the jerk's out.'_

_'Yeah.'_

_'He still trying to introduce you to girls?'_

_Peeta stiffened as he regretted confiding that in Katniss. Too much honesty was one of the hazards of dating your best friend. He was so accustomed to sharing everything with her that he sometimes didn't know when to shut up. He didn't want her worrying unnecessarily. He didn't want anyone else except her._

_'He's just being a general asshole. He's at a frat party right now so he won't be back for a while.'_

_Katniss wondered if Peeta was regretting not going to the party with Kurt. She felt guilty sometimes, like being with her was holding him back. 'Peeta, you're in the same frat. Why didn't you go?'_

_'Because I hate large parties. Because I have a shitload of work to do before finals. Because I didn't want to. And, most importantly, because I'd rather talk to you. Besides, just cuz I'm in a frat doesn't mean I like frat parties.'_

_'You'd rather talk to me than be felt-up on the dance floor by some hot blonde sorority girl?'_

_'Most assuredly.' This made her giggle. He loved doing that._

_'You're not like most guys, Peeta.'_

_'Well, you're not like most girls and I'm willing to wait for that. Only three more weeks until I'm home.' His words never ceased to take her breath away. She often wondered what he saw in her. His mother hated her, which only made his life harder. Her family had very little money which meant she often had to work instead of being able to have fun with him. She was terrible when it came to showing her emotions; and Peeta wore his on his sleeve practically all the time. And people stared at them whenever they were together as if to say, so **she**  thought, _ **_Why is he with her?_ **

_'I'll never figure you out. You could have practically anyone you want on that campus.'_

_'You overestimate me. And, so could you.' Peeta sat up as concern etched across his face. 'Are you saying you're tired of this?'_

_'No, Peeta. I just miss you. I was just checking, you know. Just tell me if this gets to be too much, okay?'_

_'I will. And it won't.'_

_'Besides, girls are different. We're not guided by our dicks.'_

_'Well, you don't have dicks for starters. And if you had them, you'd be guided by them.'_

_'Really? Wow, well I'd better see a doctor about that humongous thing in my pants.'_

_'Very funny, Everdeen.'_

_'Ha! Ha! Well, would you like to hear about the sexy macaroni I made for dinner or about the hot geometry problem I just helped Prim solve?' She put on her best fake sexy voice. It was much easier to do when she wasn't serious._

_'Nooo, but,' Peeta scooted down further on the bed and rested his free hand on his thigh. 'Would you like to hear about the humongous thing in_ **_my_ ** _pants?'_

_Her cheeks flushed and she felt uncomfortable. 'Peeta, are you serious?'_

_He felt slightly embarrassed at being such a perv, but damn was he horny for her! She was so guarded about talking sexy, that he knew he'd have to approach this slowly. It had to be her idea or it wasn't going to happen. 'No, but I_ **_would_ ** _like to know what you're wearing.'_

_Katniss smiled and rolled onto her stomach and kicked her legs out playfully on her bed, 'I'm wearing those black jogging shorts you like and a green tank top. No shoes.'_

_'You mean the shorts you don't wear panties with?'_

_'Panties are built in, Peeta.'_

_'Bra?'_

_'Don't need one. Small tits.'_

_'Your tits are fucking gorgeous. Besides, I always say that more than a mouthful...'_

_'Peeta!'_

_'Humor me. I miss you.'_

_'And you're horny.'_

_'Yes, for you. I love you but I also love being inside you. Now, do you miss me?' He felt himself grow semi-erect and glanced at the door. Not locked. 'Hold that thought.'_

_He trotted over to the door and locked it. At least if Kurt came back early he'd have a 10-second warning to get his junk back into his pants._

_'Okay, I'm back. As I was saying, Miss Everdeen. Do you miss me?' He repositioned himself on the bed and placed his hand inside his pants, thankful that he'd gone commando in a pair of loose sweats._

_'Like crazy.'_

_'How crazy?'_

_'Crazy bitch crazy.'_

_Peeta's voice darkened with uncertain anticipation and lust. 'Crazy enough to touch yourself?'_

_Her breath hitched. Johanna had warned her about this. 'His Royal Hotness is over a thousand miles away at school. You'd better work on your phone sex persona cuz guys love that shit!'_

_What the fuck was she supposed to do? She sucked at sexy talk even in person let alone over the phone. In fact, she sucked at talking period. She'd much rather just_ **_have_ ** _sex than_ **_talk_ ** _about it. But, Peeta missed her and she, admittedly, was hot for him as well. Just the timbre of his voice over the cell line made her thighs grow warm._

_'Peeta...'_

_'Come on, Katniss. Damn, I miss you.' He began working on the stiffy he had before getting up to lock the door. His voice took on a breathy tone. 'Not just your body. I miss you. I miss being around you.' He ran his hand along his length with each declaration. 'I miss your kisses, your smell. I miss that cute little way one of your eyebrows gets higher than the other when you're really pissed. And how you lick your lips when you want me to kiss you but don't want to ask me. I miss everything.'_

_'Peeta? A-Are you touching yourself?'_

_He felt like a pervert and he really didn't want to feel like a pervert. 'Maybe.'_

_Katniss worried her bottom lip. Was it possible to be a little freaked out yet still turned on by your boyfriend wanting to masturbate with you on the phone?_

_'I-It's okay.'_

_'You sure?'_

_'Yeah.'_

_'Because I would never do anything that would make you uncomfortable.'_

_'No, Peeta. It's okay. Really.' If he was going to live like a monk for the likes of her, the least she could do was let him have a little phone sex at her expense._

_'You know what I miss most about being alone with you?'_

_'What?'_

_'Those little noises you make when you're turned on.' He began to stroke himself slowly. A small pool of liquid gathered around his tip and his balls felt like they could burst. He spread the liquid around his head and pretended that his wet thumb was her soft, sweet tongue._

_'Ah. And the way you throw your head back when I'm going down on you.'_

_She smiled wickedly and chastised herself for actually getting turned on. It had been months since she'd felt him between her legs. January 3rd at 8:04pm to be exact. She hadn't seen him for spring break that year. She rarely got to see him for spring break because his bitch of a mother usually planned a family trip out of state to keep him from 'getting in trouble with all the other spring-breakers'. But, she knew the real reason was to keep him away from her as long as possible._

_'Yeah?'_

_'Mmm-Hmm. I'm constantly licking my lips when I think about how good you taste.' This was killing her! She was doing just fine with her daily routine until that damned Peeta Mellark called and made her think about his sugary sweet tongue pressed into her most intimate spot. His deep voice. His plump lips. His sweetness. His cock._

_'Are you enjoying this, Katniss?'_

_'I think so.'_

_'Well, say something.'_

_'I'm not good at saying something.'_

_'That's okay. I can say enough for the both of us. I may get a little quiet, okay? Just having you here is enough for me. Just hearing you breathe is enough. But, don't hang up.' It was getting increasingly harder to hold the phone and jerk off at the same time. He could hear her breathing on the other end. She may not be participating but she was sure enjoying the show._

_'Peeta, don't put the phone down yet, okay?'_

_She didn't tell him anything else, but glanced over at her door to make sure it was fully closed. The lock on it had been broken for years, so there was no point in worrying about that. She grabbed her favorite blanket from the foot of her bed and draped it over her lap. That way, if Prim came in, she could play it off. She slowly slid her hand into the liner of her jogging shorts and sought out the soft curly hairs between her thighs. She'd never done anything like this before, but Peeta had a way of making the walls she'd built look like silly obstructions. She teased her finger around the area just above her slit. But, as she heard him exhale, she decided to plunge one finger between her folds, mimicking what his hands would do to her. She was already wet down there. Hearing his voice on the other end made it so much easier to fantasize about his actual tongue stroking her clit, working in frantic circles as she writhed beneath him. This was so much sweeter than the nights she did this alone in her bed._

_She could hear him on the other end, breathing heavily and softly moaning her name. She couldn't find the words to say, so she let her sighs do the talking as she found the soft, wet bud beneath the curtain of flesh. Her strokes grew harder and faster as his breaths increased on the other end of the phone line. She opened her legs wider and imagined his muscled hips striking her inner thighs, and of guiding his strokes in and out of her with a firm grip on his beautiful ass. Her breaths were coming hard and fast now. There would be no hiding from Peeta that she'd decided to join in the fun. One more wall. Down. Crumpled at her feet. Damn you, Peeta Mellark!_

_'Katniss? You there?'_

_'Yeah, I'm here,' she said clearly out of breath now._

_'Oh, fuck. I miss you...ss-so much.'_

_She heard him choke on the other end and the sound grew muffled as if he'd lost control of the phone. She finished herself off discreetly and buried her moans in her throat. But, there was no disguising the panting coming from her lips. She wanted him to know what she'd been doing without actually having to come out and say it._

_..._

_She could hear him shakily descending from his high. At some point the line got quiet and they both burst out in embarrassed laughter. He told her to hold on while he leaned over and cleaned up with a box of wet wipes he kept in his bedside drawer. He removed his shirt and lay back on the bed in just his sweats. She took the opportunity to run into her ensuite bathroom and wash her hands, hoping that Prim was still at the kitchen table. They both returned to the phone at the same time._

_Peeta sounded sated and amused at the same time, 'Did you just...?'_

_'Shut up,' she retorted playfully._

_'You did!'_

_A giggle was the only reply he got._

_'Only three more weeks until you get home.'_

_'I wish you'd come visit me sometimes.'_

_'That'd go over well with your wealthy, southern fraternity brothers.'_

_'The South is not as bad as people make it out to be.'_

_'Well, maybe not for blonde-haired, blue-eyed frat boys.'_

_'Anyway, I can't wait to see you.'_

* * *

She stroked him a couple of times frantically but knew that wasn't what either of them wanted. She could feel the pool of fluid spilling over his tip. She knew he'd be satisfied with the stimulation of her hand, but her guy deserved more than that. He was so extremely patient with her. She thought of going down on him, but the backseat was too small to maneuver between his legs. Besides, she wanted some relief, too. So, she lifted her hips and planted her hot, wet opening right on top of his hard, aching cock. He filled her to the rim and she could feel her juices cover him from top to bottom.

She clenched. He gasped.

She moaned as she leaned forward and pulled his bottom lip between her teeth. The steely resolve in her eyes made his cock flinch. His breath was coming in short, rapid spurts against her mouth. He searched her eyes wildly looking for what was next.

"Fuck me, Peeta!"

Thank the heavens for sound-muffling technology in these modern vehicles. The same principles that keep sounds out also keep them in, because the lovers cried out passionately and simultaneously as she slid over him, letting all of her weight bob upon his length.

Peeta took a couple of seconds to recover from the initial surprise of the unexpected invasion. He was also pleasantly enthralled with how much his girlfriend wanted him. Oh, he knew she liked fucking him. But, he would never have initiated doing what they were doing right now. He was always ready to throw caution to the wind to express his feelings. Katniss was the cautious one and he always followed her lead. Knowing that she wanted him this badly only made his fire for her double in size.

Her mouth covered his but she found it difficult to sustain a solid kiss with all of the panting and writhing about. Peeta gripped her hips firmly, bunching her cotton panties to hold them aside as he assisted her movements over his lap. He swallowed thickly and stared up at her wide-eyed as she bounced up and down on him while bracing her hands on the interior roof. She was so fucking beautiful to him! Her face was flushed, her lips puffy, skin sweaty and clothes askew. Her tits were bouncing in his face with a shimmer of dull light illuminating them. He leaned forward to resume his attentions to her breasts as he pumped in and out of her moistness. Or rather, as she pumped him.

His mouth was warm against her sensitive nipples and he moved one hand from her hip to rub her clit at the same time. Her cries were so loud he was expecting a porch light to come on any minute. He decided to cautiously take advantage of the door she'd opened and whispered in her ear.

"Your pussy feels so good, Katniss. Come for me, baby. I'm so close."

His voice was dark with all of those horny nights spent jacking off in his dorm room or in the shower. All of the dreams, after which he'd awake with sticky underwear, couldn't compare to this moment right now. He felt her clench violently around his cock and they cried into each other's mouths again. The dirty words rolling off his lips had a startling effect on her. Although she was too shy to talk bedroom talk with him, she was discovering that it sure as hell turned her on.

"Peeta, I…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence. Her muscles contracted further around him and drew him further into her as she cried out in the interior of his car. His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her forward into him, slamming deeper inside her. His body curled into hers at the feeling of her tightening and he spilled himself inside her warm, wet cavity.

"Ah, shit!" Had it not been for his face being buried in the crook of her neck, he'd have screamed into the night. Instead, it came out muffled against her glistening skin.

They slumped into each other, breathlessly and stayed that way for quite a while before either had the nerve to look into the other's face. In the meantime, he traced lazy circles on her lower back and kissed her shoulder and neck ever so sweetly. She knew they needed to get out of their precarious position before anyone drove down the street and saw them. Her heart beat wildly at considering the effect Peeta Mellark seemed to have on her. But, it was he who broke the sweaty silence.

"Katniss…?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll always love you."

She leaned back just enough to look into his eyes and grabbed his face in her hands.

"You don't know what you're saying. I mean nothing but trouble for you."

"Look at me. Does it look like I'm concerned about trouble?"

She giggled. "We are quite a sight."

She moved carefully from his lap and readjusted her soaked panties, her top and her skirt. He fixed his pants back onto his hips and fastened them before pulling her closer into his body and tilting her face up to his. He wanted to make sure she didn't feel ashamed of what just happened. But judging from the mischievous look in her eyes and the way she bit her bottom lip, she felt anything but that.

"Peeta?"

"Yeah?" He ran his fingers softly down the side of her face before tweaking her nose playfully.

"What did we just do?"

"I don't know, but it sure was…I don't have a word for what that was." She looked away from him, embarrassed. "Katniss...No, look at me. That. Was. Incredible!"

"Peeta Mellark…you make me break the rules."

"Hey. There are no rules when you're with me. I want you to feel free to be yourself and express yourself. If you want me, say it. I'll come running. I'm yours all summer." He pressed his lips lightly to hers for reinforcement before pulling away and asking, "Did you like what we just did?"

"Yes," she nearly whispered.

"I loved when you said, 'Fuck me, Peeta.' That was hot! What do you like for me to do?"

"I don't know!"

"You can tell me, Katniss. We've known each other since first grade. I've had my face between your legs. We just had sex in a car in your driveway, for heaven's sake. Why be shy about it?"

"It's just…I don't know…dirty talk." She shook her head timidly and glanced down at their clasped hands.

"Do you like when I say those things? If you don't, I'll stop." He searched her face for signs of embarrassment or misunderstanding.

"No!" She answered a little too quickly, she thought. "I do like it. A lot!"

He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief and took this as a sign that this meant her trust in him was growing. "Do you like when I taste you?"

She sucked in a sharp breath before answering. "You know I do."

"Tell me."

She leaned up and bit the tip of his earlobe, hoping to distract him by giving him a little bit of what he was seeking. "I like when you put your mouth on me."

"Where?"

"Peeta, you know what I mean."

"And do what with my mouth?"

"You know."

"Say 'I like it when you eat my pussy, Peeta'". He raised her face to meet his as she tried to stifle a giggle. He loved teasing her and making her blush. He loved her coyness but wanted to open her up a little more. He wanted to see the tightly coiled rosebud blossom fully into a rose. He tried again and again until she said it.

"I like it when you eat my pussy, Peeta. Are you satisfied?"

"Not yet. When I'm away at school and you want me, what do you do?"

"What do you mean?" Her face was flushed with embarrassment of the best kind. She knew that it was silly to be able to do these things with him and be so afraid to talk about them with him.

"Um, I mean…well…when I want you…when I think about you…your taste...the way you feel wrapped around me...I touch myself. Just like that night on the phone."

"Yeah, that was…nice."

"It's okay to like it, Katniss. It's not dirty. I mean unless you're doing it in public or something. You won't go blind, I promise, or I'd be walking with a sight dog by now." This made her laugh. Then she started outright giggling while picturing Peeta getting busted by his roommate while stroking himself.

"I know it's not dirty, it's just…saying it…is awkward. I'm much better at doing something than telling about it. I feel like I may sound ridiculous or something."

"You could never sound ridiculous to me."

She bit her bottom lip tentatively and leaned in so close to his ear she could see the fine hairs along it, "But, I do like it when you taste me. And when I think about your mouth on me, I touch myself." It rolled off her lips so softly he had to struggle to hear it.

"Where?"

"What do you mean, where? Down there!"

"I mean, your bed? The shower? Where?"

"Both usually. Those are the only really private places in my house."

She turned to him excitedly and said, "Did you know that I was touching myself that night on the phone?"

"I had some idea, but I was…a little busy myself. Did you come?"

"What?"

"Did. You. Come?" He whispered each syllable seductively.

"Well, isn't that the object, smart guy?"

"Then say it."

She took in a sharp breath and looked at him questioningly. His blue eyes were locked on hers. For a sweet, inexperienced guy he sure was comfortable talking about sex and desires. "Please? Just say it. Here, I'll say it first. When I think of you and touch myself, I come all over the place."

She giggled and buried her face in his neck. But, she mustered the courage to whisper in his ear. It was easier than looking in his eyes. "Yes, I did come."

"You don't know how hot that is, Katniss!" He looked at her in awe. He never thought he'd be sitting in the back seat of a car discussing with Katniss Everdeen how she had touched herself while on the phone with him.

"Stop looking at me like that or that's the last time that'll happen."

"Come here!" He pulled her close and devoured her lips in a long, smoldering kiss before pulling away. "My car smells like sex. We smell like sex. I have to make sure I keep Deacon out of it until I wash it." They laughed at their predicament, leaned back in the seat and sat in silence with the windows down for a little while longer before he spoke.

"So…wanna do this again sometime?" The smile on her face told him everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those re-reading, I've updated this chapter to lengthen it and include a little phone sex. Thanks for reading!


	2. Precious Cargo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I just can't leave these two alone. Something about summer-angsty new love that just gets the blood boiling. Our car-loving duo are at it again. I know it's long. But, hopefully you're lounging by the pool or the beach as you read this. It's pure fluff!

**Chapter 2**

**July 4th, Summer 2009, After Katniss & Peeta's Freshman Year in College**

He saw them before the bell over the door chimed, signaling a new customer was entering. Cato and his entourage were descending on the bakery. Peeta felt his ears burn and his muscles tighten as the arrogant hulk of a young man sauntered into his family's establishment with the ever-present smirk on his face.

Cato was followed, as always, by two of his former football teammates from high school, where he'd been the star quarterback. High school had ended over a year ago and Cato still pranced around like he was God's gift to pre-collegiate athletics. College scholarship offers had not been as plentiful as everyone assumed they would be for the gifted young athlete and he shamefully opted to enroll in the local university and joined the football team as a walk-on. No one else saw this as a cause for embarrassment except for Cato himself. His blatant conceitedness, cocky attitude and crappy work ethic were rumored to be reasons college scouts had shied away from him.

"This can't be good," Peeta mumbled to himself as he pretended to wipe an imaginary spot from the glass display case. His interactions with Cato Mitchell never were good. They'd been quiet adversaries on the same football team for four years. Peeta was satisfied to play backup quarterback as wrestling was his  _first_  love. Cato, the arrogant star of the team, always made it known that he had a  _thing_  for Katniss and delighted in shoving it in Peeta's face whenever the chance presented itself. Even if the chance did not present itself, he'd create the opportunity to do so. Today was likely one of those days. Peeta tried to steel himself for what was about to come and willed his temper to take a back seat to good, common sense. Although he knew he could match Cato, blow for blow, he was not the sort to get into fights and often chose to avoid conflict unless he was forced into it.

"Hey, Dough Boy!" That was his favorite way of greeting Peeta. He thought it got under his skin, but Peeta couldn't have been prouder to work in his family's business. It beat flipping burgers at a McDonald's, that was for sure. It was even worth putting up with his ill-tempered mother. Evelyn Mellark had assigned herself to only handling the bakery's finances once her boys became of age and size to manage the storefront on their own. She preferred to operate behind the scenes, have lunch with her wealthier friends and spend the profits. So, his dealings with her were less than they had been in previous years. Today was a day when his father, Errol, was out handling other business, leaving he and Deacon to mind the store. Peeta didn't mind at all. Creating pastries and cakes with his hands was a welcome change over sitting in college classes all day long. He loved baking and doing things that brought a smile to his customers' faces. So, Cato's tacit insults went in one ear and out of the other.

Peeta plastered a fake smile on his face and responded, "The one and only. How can I help you..." Peeta paused briefly to let a barely visible sarcastic smirk cross his face before finishing the sentence, "...gentlemen?"

The smirk on Cato's face faltered only slightly as he realized he'd have to do a little more to shake the kindly baker's resolve. Peeta could see his wheels turning as the tall, dark-skinned man seemed to mentally sift through insults to get a reaction out of him.

"Working the late shift, I see." Cato scanned Peeta from head to toe as the baker prepared himself for whatever barb he would hurl his way. "Hey, are you really that white or are you just always covered in flour?" Cato's friends guffawed, one of them doubling over, he was so wracked with laughter.

Peeta gripped the edge of the display case tighter, willing himself to not retaliate. But, always being quick to turn a phrase or two of his own, he couldn't stop himself.

Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, he responded, "I don't know, Cato. Are you really that brown or are you just full of shit?" The guys behind Cato laughed even harder at Peeta's crack, leaving him with a satisfied smirk. His glibness didn't last very long as guilt for letting Cato drag him under started to surface.

Cato's jaw worked back and forth as he fought to hide his embarrassment. "Touche', Mellark. Touche'."

Peeta decided to diffuse the situation by softening his stance. "Look, man. Did you want to buy something? We're closing up soon."

"Ah, just in for a little sweet treat. A little desert of sorts...after my dinner at the  _Everdeen_  house." Cato held his gaze defiantly as he let his words sink. Peeta felt the back of his neck go hot at the mention of Katniss' family. He knew that Cato attended Arizona State along with Katniss and worked on the same urban forestry program during the summer break. But, he didn't know they'd grown close enough for him to be invited to dinner. He'd been home for a full month of summer and she hadn't once mentioned the guy.

Peeta clenched his jaw and drew a deep breath in through his nose. He looked Cato square in the eye, fighting every urge to slam his face into the display case and asked, "And, what would you like?"

"I'd like a muffin." Cato was pleased with himself, knowing that he'd gotten a rise out of Peeta. "What kind do you have, bread boy?"

"We've got chocolate with chocolate chips and chocolate with white chocolate chips left." Peeta waved his hand, as if bored of the whole scene, towards the muffin case.

"Ew! Definitely chocolate chocolate chip." Cato leaned over the case with a mischievous glare, "White chocolate chips in dark chocolate, man? That just ain't natural."

Peeta's head shot up swiftly at the realization of what Cato was implying, just as Deacon burst through the kitchen doors. Peeta leaned in close enough to butt heads with Cato across the counter. The entourage, who had been snickering in the background, suddenly gathered closer to their friend with serious, but non-threatening looks on thier faces. Peeta's nose flared as he sucked in angry breaths resulting from keeping his cool as he served the asshole in front of him. Deacon, a taller, broader, tatted-up version of Peeta, hovered cautiously in the background. His body was drawn as taught as a wire, waiting for something to jump off.

Peeta breathed into the man's face with clenched teeth, "That'll be $3.25." Cato blinked, his face expressionless.

Deacon's voice boomed loudly from the rear of the room, startling all of them. The smile on his face contradicted the threat in his voice. "It's time for you gentlemen to make your selections and leave. We'll be closing in less than five minutes."

Peeta gathered his composure, backed away from the case just enough to open it and reach inside to retrieve 3 large chocolate muffins. He set them gently, though with emphasis, on the counter in front of the men. Cato reached for his pockets, but Peeta stopped him.

"On the house."

Cato eyed him suspiciously before grabbing the muffins and saying sarcastically, "How nice of you, bread boy," before turning for the door.

Peeta waited until they'd almost cleared the doorway before shouting, "Forget about it. We were throwing them out tonight anyway." Cato faltered and turned around, but by this time, Deacon had made his way around the counter to the door and was reaching for the  **CLOSED**  sign.

"You gentlemen have a pleasant night, ya hear?" Deacon said in his most disingenuous tone. He locked the door before turning back to Peeta, shaking his head.

* * *

"What?" the younger Mellark asked, his hands splayed out in a gesture of confusion. He watched his older brother has he stomped his way over to the closet that held cleaning supplies and retrieved the broom to begin the evening cleanup. "He was being an asshole. You saw that!"

"Yeah, I saw it. And you're right. He is an asshole." Deacon paused his sweeping to lock eyes with his brother. "I hope you're being careful when you fuck her."

"What? That's none of your  _goddamned_  business!" Peeta's face turned bright red. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Peeta didn't normally use profanity so loosely. It was because of this that Deacon knew he'd touched a sensitive spot. "Do you love this girl, Peeta? Do you even know what kinda shit you're getting yourself into?"

"I'm a big boy, Deke. I can handle myself. Just mind your own fucking business." Peeta angrily pulled the money till from the cash register and began the nightly chore of counting it down. Once done, he'd put all the day's receipts in a deposit bag so that his mother could deposit it the following day; after deducting her shopping allowance, at least.

His older brother softened with understanding.

"Look, bro. I'm just looking out for you. I think Katniss is a great girl. But, if you love her, the last thing you'd want to do is slip up and get her pregnant." Deacon leaned forward on the broom with a wearied look on his face. "God only knows that would give _your_  mother cause to be even more of a bitch towards her. You know how that woman is."

"Don't worry. We're being smart, Deke. We're not kids anymore."

"Oh, yeah? How so?"

"If you must know, she's on the pill. I mean, we were pretty stupid a couple times back in high school, but we're older now."

"Yeah, all nineteen years of ya! You know, pregnancy isn't the only thing you need to protect against."

"I know that, man. Seriously? I took Sex Ed, too, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I just...I'm just looking out for you."

"I know. We've...ah...only been with each other, you know. But, we're still careful. Besides, Katniss doesn't even want kids...ever."

"Yeah? So you've discussed kids, then?" Peeta realized his slip-up as the words exited his brother's mouth.

"Not...well...seriously."

"Uh huh." Deacon eyed him mischievously as a grin played around his lips. "You love her." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Well." Peeta felt his cheeks blush as he palmed the back of his neck. He couldn't stop the slow smile from spreading across his face. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, dumb ass, you seem to be the only one surprised by this. It's been obvious for years now. I knew you had it bad for her." He shook his head then looked up at his brother with a smirk. "So how long?"

"A while, I think."

"Have you told her?"

"Yes."

"How long ago?"

"Seriously? About a year. Give or take."

"Wow. That's it? A year? As long as you've been hanging around her, I'd thought you'd have gotten up off your ass a lot sooner. And judging by that asshole that just left, not a moment too soon." Peeta playfully flipped his brother off. "Well, I guess better late than never. It's about damn time, you pussy. You've been horny for  _her_  since first grade."

"First graders aren't horny, Deke."

"Shit, I was!" Peeta couldn't help but laugh. "But seriously, girls like that don't stay single forever. If you love her, don't immerse her in this shit-hole of a family we have. Don't let Mom ruin it for you. Does dad know?"

"I think he has an idea. I mean, he pays my phone bill. And he's always asking me how she's doing with this weird look on his face. But, he won't just come out and ask me."

"Sounds like Dad. Don't ask. Don't tell."

"Yeah, well I'm gonna go shower in the back. Rue's dropping her off here so we can go catch the fireworks."

"Which car are you taking?"

"Dad said I could use the suburban."

"Is that why he had me clean the damn thing up this morning? So you and your woman could go fucking in it?"

"Shut up, would you? We're not going...fucking!"

"Wait a minute! So it was you who put my damn sleeping bags in the backseat?"

"Those are so we can sit and watch the fireworks, asshole."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

Peeta walked away towards the back office, which had an adjoining room with a futon and a standup shower. That room was used many nights by his father in his younger days under the pretenses of starting his workday early without the commute. But, the boys all knew it was to avoid their mother. It still came in handy at times like this, when he didn't want to subject Katniss to meeting him at his house and picking her up at her place just wasn't convenient. He could shower and dress without the intrusive questions from Evelyn regarding where he was going.

"Just make sure you look out for her and let her in when she gets here."

"Yeah, and you make sure you don't get your  _jiz_  all over my clean sleeping bags!" Deacon shouted after him. Peeta responded by tossing his dirty apron, hitting his brother square in the face.

"Would you shut up before she shows up and hears you, man? Geez!"

* * *

Peeta emerged from the back of the bakery just as the bell over the door sounded. Deacon was re-locking the front door as Rue waved good-bye through the plate glass windows. He smiled at Katniss before turning to wave at her friend and tried to avoid sarcastic glances from the older Mellark.

"Hey," he said as he moved in for a hug and kiss. But, Katniss, casting her eyes towards his brother, side-stepped the full hug and offered him a one-armed buddy hug. Deacon nearly laughed out loud at the thinly veiled attempt at discretion on their part. They were so obviously over-the-moon horny for each other, it came through their pores.

"Hey," she responded, her deep dusky complexion coloring ever so slightly as she pushed a stray curl behind her right ear.

Peeta took her in, from head to toe. She wore a soft green tank top, her favorite color, with short, rolled up khaki shorts and light colored thong sandals. Her dusky skin was glistening from being out in the summer heat. Her thick, curly hair was braided and hung over one shoulder, like it was the majority of the time. She had a small, fringed cross-body bag hanging over one shoulder and ending at the opposite hip. She wore minimal makeup, as usual. And Peeta thought she was more beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen.

"You look nice." It still surprised him how she sometimes made him feel nervous, as if he'd just met her. Even after being with her for over a year and knowing her for much longer than that, she still made his pulse quicken.

She reached up to grab a stray curl, completely forgetting that Deacon was watching intently. "Your hair's still wet," she giggled as she pulled on it.

"Okay, guys," Deacon interrupted. "Good to see you again, Katniss. I gotta go throw up out back. You guys have a great time. Peet, lock up, would you?" And with that, Deacon turned away, shaking his head and smiling.

Katniss shouted good-bye to him as he disappeared through the double doors. "What was all that?"

"Nothing," Peeta countered. "Ready to go?" He couldn't resist delicately tracing the line of her jaw with the backs of his fingers. She looked at him with dewey eyes just before leaning up on her tiptoes to plant a surprise kiss on his lips. She pulled back and looked at him guiltily while biting down on her bottom lip.

"I...I wanted to kiss you before but, I...with Deacon around."

He smiled softly at her as Cato's words from earlier fought for entry into this wonderful moment. Katniss was being open to him, and he didn't know how long it would last. One wrong move and the whole evening could go downhill. He intended to ask her about it later, perhaps, but he refused to let Cato ruin a good night. So, instead of bringing it up, he grabbed the picnic basket stowed in one of the bakery's booths said, "Let's go".

* * *

They arrived at  **Deer Valley Park**  a short time later. Katniss' work I.D. from the forestry program allowed them access to a more secluded area of the park from which to watch the firework show later. But, their initial plans were to walk down to the more public area to catch the live bands and to just take in the festivities before the final show. Then they planned to return to the vehicle to eat the dinner that Peeta had prepared for the two of them while they watch the pyrotechnics.

After the last band took an intermission, they strolled through the pathways formed by the event booths, food pavilions and jump houses for the kids. Hearing the laughter of children interlaced with the buzz and excitement of the event made Peeta reflect on his words to Deacon earlier. ' _Besides, Katniss doesn't even want kids...ever.'_

How could someone not want such joy in their lives? He caught her gazing in the direction of two kids, obviously a brother and sister. The boy was chasing the girl with a plastic sword as she ran towards what seemed to be their parents and collapsed into laughter.

"They're cute, huh?" he couldn't help asking.

"Yeah, they are," Katniss answered, nodding her head pensively.

"Still determined to not have any of the little monsters?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe if they manage to fix the economy, eliminate violent crimes and cure terminal illnesses, I might think about it." Peeta looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I mean,the world is too screwed up to bring a child into it. Every time I turn on the television, there's some story about a child being abducted and held as a sex slave. I mean look at what happened to Jo at the hands of her own stepdad. It's too risky."

"I see. Well, I see it a little differently."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I think of it this way. If the world were divided into two pools, one filled with clean water for everything that's good and pure and one with dirty water for all that's evil and divisive, I'd want to contribute as much as I could to the clean water to somehow negate or overpower the dirty water."

He looked at her as if it were the simplest thing in the world to comprehend. Katniss looked at him with a skeptical smirk. She and Peeta had been friends for years. She was no longer surprised at how idealistic he could be. But, she was interested to know where he was going with this one.

"Well, Willie Wonka, life is not that simple. Dirty water. Clean water. Please elaborate."

"Only if you agree to hold my hand in public."

She knew that Peeta was aware of how she felt about PDA and that he was doing this on purpose. But the long months of being away from him left her skin burning for as much contact from his large, warm hands as she could get. She knew her protective sac was beginning to peel away and that frightened her just a bit. But, the more it peeled away, the less she found she cared about keeping it intact. He'd already become the reason for her willfully breaking her vow of virginity until marriage. And he recently had her becoming more comfortable with her own body and sexuality. She often thought about that night in the car in her very own front yard weeks ago! Her hand seemed to find its way between her thighs whenever she was alone and thought of Peeta...particularly that night when she'd said things that had never fallen from her lips before. Being with Peeta made her feel like a tightly coiled wire that was slowly beginning to slacken.

They'd been walking alongside each other for a while with the backs of their hands brushing up against each other. It baffled even her how she could share her body with him and be so reluctant to hold his hand in public. Perhaps holding his hand or showing affection to him around others was a physical admission of the feelings she was fighting to reconcile. By not validating her feelings to others, she could pretend that her heart wasn't beating wildly every time he looked at her or called her name. She could pretend that losing him someday would not be her undoing. Peeta stealthily entwined his pinky finger with hers, pulling her and her hand closer to his warm side as they strode. He stared down at her sweetly, assuring her that there was nothing whatsoever in the world to worry about as long as he was standing right there. When she deepened the gesture by linking all of her fingers with his, a radiant smile lit up his gorgeous face.

"I see raising children to be good citizens of the world as a counterattack on the evil that exists. The more good people we populate the earth with, the weaker evil becomes."

As  _Pollyanna_  as his words sounded to her jaded ears, she couldn't help but acknowledge the flood of emotions she felt towards the man walking beside her. The depths of his willingness to believe in the basic good of people was a bottomless pool. She wanted to bathe in that pool, but hoped she wouldn't end up drowning in it.

"I hope you're right, Peeta."

"Oh? Why?"

"Because...you should...and I know you will be...someone's father someday." He was no longer looking where he was walking. He couldn't take his eyes off her. And as far as he could tell, she was doing the same. All of the sounds and smells around them seemed to fade into the background. "People like you  _should_  have kids, Peeta."

She looked away, embarrassed by her statement, and pretended to be interested in something in the distance. By this time they'd reached the end of the public area which was roped off for staff only beyond that point. "I just don't think I'd be any good at it." A half-chuckle left her throat but didn't meet her eyes.

"Well, I think you're wrong." He reached up to run the pads of his fingers along her collarbone, effectively sending a shiver down her spine.

She didn't respond with words; only a sadly skeptical look. They were still too young to worry about such heavy matters, so he decided to change the subject. "Hey, let's go back and have our dinner and get ready for the fireworks."

* * *

Peeta made his way around to the backseat, driver's side to retrieve the well-stocked picnic basket while Katniss opened up the lift gate in the back of the SUV.

He'd wanted everything to be perfect so he'd packed the chopped shrimp salad in a container on ice to keep it chilled, not wanting pre-made sandwiches to get soggy. It was to be spread on slices of lightly toasted french bread with tomato chutney to compliment. There were slices of cheese ranging from delicate to robust, to suit whatever mood she might happen to be in. There were chopped romaine lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers which could either be used to dress the sandwich or as a salad. For dressing, he'd made a strawberry blush wine vinaigrette himself from supplies at the bakery. To top it all off was a bottle of white wine and the most delectable chocolate brownies Katniss had ever tasted.

"Oooh, you made your grandpa's brownies! Dammit, Peeta. All I brought were paper goods and berry salad."

"Hey, berry salad's a  _mutha_  to make."

"Yeah. Open container. Wash berries. Dump in bowl. I'm still sweating." She placed the back of her hand on her brow and faked a swoon. "I just hope you appreciate the work that went into mixing strawberries, blueberries  _and_  blackberries!"

"Yes, you had to do that  _three times_! You're a beast!" He'd even brought bottled water. Peeta thought of everything...as usual. The laugh which bubbled in her throat from their joking died delicately as she watched him eagerly spread out the sleeping bag on the vehicle's open tailgate.

"What?" He asked suspiciously as he began to arrange their dinner.

"Nothing," she answered, diverting her gaze back to her task of unpacking the paper goods.  _'I love you?_ ' She thought, but didn't dare say.

Once all of the food was unpacked and spread out, he gestured towards the end of the tailgate where he'd placed a single jar candle. "Your table awaits, dear lady."

Peeta always surprised her with his thoughtfulness, causing her to chastise herself for felling like a tongue-tied, selfish clod in his presence. ' _Well, don't just sit there gawking like an idiot, Katniss. At least show him some appreciation.'_

"This looks absolutely delicious, Peeta."

"'Nuf of your sucking up, woman. Let's eat. I'm starving."

"You work in a bakery. Why..." she spoke as she removed her sandals and crawled towards the opening of the tailgate, not realizing she gave him ample opportunity to check out her ass, "...are you hungry?"

"It was extremely busy today. We couldn't even break for lunch." Katniss busied herself preparing the sandwiches while Peeta poured their wine and dished out berry salad on two plates. "I think people knew we'd be closing early and wanted to get their holiday dinner orders in. Deacon and I must've made fifty dozen kaiser buns."

They sat at the edge of the tailgate with thier backs supported by the interior and facing each other. Peeta, being a bit taller than she was had to hunch over slightly and moved to the opening to allow his head some freedom. They relished in each other's company while devouring their meal and chatting comfortably. They'd been friends for so long and lovers for such a short time that they were as comfortable in their silence as they were excited about exploring each other. The area of the park they were in was dark but for a few distant overhead lights and their lone candle. It was much quieter than the public area, allowing them to hear the crowd in the distance and still hear each other talk over the all the buzz.

"How was work for you today?"

"It was fun...but tiring. I was on my feet all day and couldn't wait to get out of those hiking boots."

She snuck glances at him when he wasn't looking, the shadows bouncing off the planes of his face from the light of the candle. His long, pale eyelashes fluttering with each blink. The pouty way his plump lips formed a seal around his sandwich. And most unsettling of all was when his tongue appeared to lick the stray crumbs from those lips. Those lips! The very ones that had memorized the landscape of her inner thighs like one of his favorite paintings. The same lips that formed a delicious seal around her...

"Katniss..."

She realized she'd lost herself in remembering the last time his soft lips caressed her...down there. Thankful that the near darkness hid her certain blush, she cleared her throat and ducked her head to reach a curl that had escaped from her braid. Peeta's chuckle did little to abate her embarrassment at being caught.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You were checking me out."

"No, I wasn't," she said with a small dose of snark.

"You totally were. Busted." He smirked at her with one raised eyebrow and she felt her shield disintegrate.

"Okay. Okay. Busted." Her soft, husky voice was one of the things about her that he found the most sexy. The way she smiled and bit her bottom lip after she said those words made him forget about making that second sandwich. She could see the first dawnings of hunger...real hunger...building in his eyes. They sat there staring at each other, not breaking their gaze, for what seemed like an eternity. ' _Pace yourself, girl_ ,' she told herself. ' _Night's still young. Fireworks haven't even started yet_.'

"Feel free to check me out as much as you want. It's dark, though. Don't you think you'd see better if you sat a little closer?" His voice was so deep and resonant, that it made the floor of the SUV vibrate, sending a tingling sensation to her core.

"Maybe."

"Why don't you come over here and see?"

"Why don't you come get me?"

Before she could draw the next breath, he reached out and grabbed one of her bare feet and pulled her towards him on her bottom. His hands wrapped entirely around her small foot as he lowered his head and kissed the arch.

"Good thing I bathed after work." Under the guise of playing the smartass, she hoped to hide her nervousness.

Peeta chuckled, "Yeah, lucky me," just before he kissed her arch again and began to caress it firmly. "How about a little massage?"

"Sure. Okay." She braced herself with her hands on the floor of the vehicle alongside her hips as he gently yet solidly massaged the pads and arch of her foot. Her breath slowed and her body began to relax as his hands kneaded away the stress of the day, pressing on the pad just beneath her toes and slowly working his strong thumbs in a circular motion.

"Feel good?" he asked.

All she could manage was, "Uh huh." The loll of her head and flutter of her eyelids brought a gentle smile to his face. His hands left the work they were doing on her heel and traveled to her ankle, then her calf, creating a gentle friction that coaxed a soft moan from her lips. He chuckled. She smirked.

"My other foot is jealous."

"Well, send her over here." She seductively placed her neglected foot square over his crotch, prompting a devious and mischievous look from those soft, blue pools. He dutifully gave that foot the same treatment that its companion had received. Her eyes were fully closed by now, so she hadn't been looking when she felt his hands reach behind her knees and pull her forward...closer...to him.

"Come here."

She obeyed. Straddling his lap as he cupped her behind. The air around them seemed so still, although they could hear the buzz from down below. She swept a rogue curl from his forhead and gazed into his eyes, wishing she wasn't so afraid to say the words that always lingered just under her skin, just out of his reach.

"I'm here."

"Do I look any different now?"

"Yeah. Much better." Their mouths crashed into each other, almost involuntarily. Open, hot and hungry was the kiss that made him stiffen immediately and arch his hips into hers. She drug her fingers through his curls and latched on to the length of hair at the crown of his head, pulling his mouth impossibly closer to hers. The soft grunt that left his lips coincided with a thrust of his hips that left her center moist and hungry for more of him. She was powerless to stop the breathy yelp whispered against his mouth, telling him that she wanted him. He trailed his lips lower to caress her cheeks and chin softly, before devouring the tender area just underneath her jaw. His tongue lapped at the soft skin and applied a pressure that sent jolts to her tender parts.

"Katniss..." he whispered.

"Peeta," she breathed.

"Kantiss? Um, are we the only ones...out here?"

"What?" Her brain was foggy. She couldn't figure out why he'd stopped; so she grabbed the back of his head and planted him right back on that sensitive part of her neck. He chuckled, planted another soft kiss there and backed away slightly.

"Are we...you know...alone out here?" She blinked confusedly at him as her eyes adjusted to take in the questioning look on his face.

"I want you...so bad. But...I know we're allowed back here because you work here. What about your coworkers?" As the word ' _coworker_ ' left his mouth, the conversation with Cato earlier came flooding back into consciousness. He tried to fight it off as she struggled to gather enough brain cells to answer his question. ' _Why the hell am I doing this now_?' he tried asking himself. But it was of no use.

"I suppose anyone could be back here, but we haven't seen anyone have we? It's so dark and quiet, I'm sure we'd see and hear them before they got to us."

' _Don't ask the Cato question._ ' He chided himself. His mouth uttered, "Okay," and they resumed their heated kissing. But, he couldn't fight the nagging thought that was now sitting right on his chest, blocking his full return to the passion he'd felt before.

Sensing something wrong after a few minutes, Katniss leaned back to look at him and reassure him, "Peeta, it's okay. It's much more private than my driveway." She offered a devilish grin and placed his barely responsive hands on her breasts. Exasperated she rolled her eyes and sat upright with a sigh.

"Peeta, what's wrong? One minute you're all over me and the next you're...cold. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." His tone was sharper than he'd intended, mostly out of anger at himself for ruining such a wonderful moment with his fucking insecurities.

"You can't lie to me, Mellark." She was now sitting completely upright on his lap with her arms folded over her chest. Peeta released a long breath and dragged his hands through his hair, ending with a frustrated swipe at the base of his neck. If she suspected anything was bothering him before, she was now certain of it as she witnessed his signature sign of ultimate annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. Something is bothering me." She moved off his lap and sat next to him. He looked at her underneath those long lashes with a sheepish puppy-dog face.

She placed her hand on his arm and whispered, "Just tell me."

"Well, one of your  _colleagues_  came by the bakery today. Cato." He waited for the words to sink in but saw no change in her demeanor. She nodded for him to continue.

"He was his usual douche-baggy self. But, that's not what's bothering me."

"Okay."

"He mentioned that he'd been to your house for dinner tonight."

The flesh between her brows creased as the realization of what was bothering him settled in on her.

"Yeah."

"And, I was just...a little surprised that you didn't mention it." Peeta now felt as ashamed now as he was frustrated earlier. ' _Why couldn't I have just let that go? It sounds so stupid once I say it out loud._ '

"Look, Katniss. I'm sorry. I know it's really stupid. Let's just forget..."

"Yeah, Peeta. Pizza. I'm sorry I didn't mention that my mom offered my ride home a couple slices of...really? Are you serious?" He could see and feel her body tense and knew he would have to dig his way through this one. But, at the same time, her attitude made him feel indignant.

"Ride home? Since when is Cato your ride home from work?"

"Since I started this job! Since when did you let Cato Mitchell of all people get under your skin? Mom got off work early and was bringing in a box of  _fucking_  pizza when we pulled in. She invited him in for a slice as a thank you." Katniss practically leapfrogged over him to shimmy out of the tailgate and walked towards the clearing in a huff. Peeta felt his anger rising. Why hadn't she told him she needed a ride home from work? And why was she accepting rides from that asshole, Cato?

He followed her and stood in front of her beseechingly, "And you never felt the need to tell me?"

"Why do I need to communicate my transportation arrangements to you? We can't all afford new cars, Peeta."

"That's not what I mean." He willed himself to speak in a calmer voice. He didn't want to blow the evening with her, but as long as they were yelling it out, he was determined to get some answers. "I thought you and your mom shared a car."

"We do, Mr. Privileged, but since she's been back on the swing shift, she's at work by the time I get off."

"Okay, I'm going to ignore that insult. Then how do you  _get_  to work?"

"I don't owe you an explanation. You don't own me."

"No, I'm just your boyfriend. You could have asked me." He turned away from her, swiping his hand through his hair again. She felt her heart clench with affection for him and how much he cared for her. But, that did nothing to abate her anger. How dare he? She wasn't even welcomed in his home most of the time; at least not as long as his mother was around. How dare he be so indignant about someone giving her a ride home? God only knows Evelyn Mellark would shit a cow if Peeta left the bakery early everyday to give her a ride home.

"It  _is_  okay to rely on me, you know. You don't have to do everything by yourself."

"Gale."

"Huh?"

"Gale drops me off since it's on his way to work. But, since I get off much earlier than he does, I get a ride home from Cato. He was more than happy to do it."

"Hmph. Figures." It didn't help that he now had to consider that the two people who hated seeing him with Katniss almost as much as his mother did were able to be there for her more than he could be. They stood practically back-to-back. His hands were poised on his hips as he breathed heavily, in and out. She tapped her foot rapidly with her arms draped protectively across her chest.

"No, I don't own you, Katniss. I  _wouldn't_  and  _couldn't_. I'm not  _that guy_. But, I do care about you and it makes me feel good when I can do things for you. It just makes me angry when you don't rely on me like you do others."

"Peeta, I don't  _rely_  on them. Gale is practically my brother. I'd do the same for him if I could. And Cato drives right past my neighborhood on his way home. It would be wasteful to bother someone else for a ride when he's leaving the same place and headed in the same direction."

"The truth is...I rely on you too much as it is. Take tonight for example. You did practically everything. When we go out, you insist on paying. You're always doing things for me and I just didn't want to burden you with this. I didn't even think that I  _should_ burden you with this. It's not your responsibility. Besides, you can't just leave the bakery whenever you want."

"I enjoy doing those things for you. Besides, I'd be more than happy to make arrangements. Take a late lunch break. Deke wouldn't mind. He likes you. More than he likes me. And my dad certainly wouldn't mind."

"Funny you didn't mention the other two people in your family not minding."

"Well, forget about them. They don't fucking count."

He turned around and grabbed her elbows from behind, pulling her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and let them rest just under her folded arms. It was true that his mother didn't hold back about her dislike for Katniss. And, true to form, Vigo, the perpetual Mama's Boy, followed suit. She'd never even bothered getting to know Katniss. She'd made up her mind the minute she saw her: dark curly hair in a constant braid, stormy grey eyes...dusky skin that was a perfect blend between her parents' drastically differing shades. Evelyn Mellark was satisfied to look at their friendship with a 'tsk' and a tight-lipped smirk when they were innocent young kids playing on the same soccer team, coached by Katniss' father. But, as Peeta approached dating age and didn't seem too eager to keep company with other girls, she raised the stakes on her disapproval. As the years wore on, her verbal attacks became less cautionary and more outright hate-filled.

_Of all the girls in your school, you have to go sniffing after that **black**  girl?_

Vigo in the background shaking his head shamefully was as sure a thing as his mother's hateful words and his father's indifference. Deacon tried to run interference but the damage was done and would continue to be done for years to come. So, Peeta weaved a web of lies and pretenses to keep Katniss in his life without too much direct interaction with his family. Every now and then, like now, things would come to a head. Peeta was losing his patience with the whole charade.

"All that counts is us, right?" He leaned his chin on her shoulder and rocked her back and forth until he could feel the smile form on her face.

"Yeah, if you say so," she whispered. ' _For now,_ ' she thought silently. ' _We're still young and have nothing to lose. Wait until you figure out that you can do better._ '

"I know so." The warmth of his breath resonating off her ear made her stubborn exterior crumble.

"I'm sorry I got so insulted. I should have told you. I should have known Cato would be an ass about it. And I'm giving his ass a piece of my mind on Monday."

"No. Don't let him know he got the best of me. But, he did. I'm sorry I'm a little...jealous. You don't know the things he used to say in high school when there were just guys around. He'd love nothing more than for you to hate me and run to him."

She wiggled from his grip to turn around and face him, "Well. That was high school. And that's not going to happen."

He kissed the tip of her nose as his hands found their way around her waist again. "Are we okay?"

"More than okay." She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to his, capturing his bottom between her own. He felt the sigh of relief leave his mouth and wash over hers. She slanted her mouth over his, seeking to join their tongues together in a playful apology. It didn't take long for the heat to build between them once again. He gripped her hips and pressed himself into her front, letting her know that the desire for her had not diminished in the least. Almost by instinct, she lifted her legs and wrapped them around him as he cupped her behind to hoist her up.

The new position stationed her center right over his groin, eliciting a soft moan from the both of them as their lips collided. Their tongues danced frenetically against each other as his legs closed the distance back to the tailgate, upon which he sat her gingerly. He stood between her legs, but pulled away briefly to look into her eyes and caress her cheek.

He wished he didn't feel so insecure about their relationship. He wondered if the constant reminders that they didn't 'fit' would eventually get to Katniss. As for himself, he couldn't care less what people thought; including his own mother. As long as others left them alone, he and Katniss were blisfully happy when they were together. He shook the offending thoughts from his head to concentrate on the woman in front of him, who was gently pulling on his collar to realign his lips with hers.

"Where are you, Mellark?"

"I'm right here," was the darkened reply. Her eyes darted between his eyes and his lips, unsure which she found more enticing. He leaned in closer for another kiss, but she teasingly moved away...just slightly. She mischeivously smirked and bit her bottom lip, to which he responded with another attempt. She moved away again, mouth slightly parted and amused with this little game of cat and mouse. The start of the fireworks display was signalled by a garbled announcement over the loudspeaker, followed by applause and the telltale fizz-pop from across the park. The light from the first launched rocket cast shadows over the planes of his face.

"The show's starting. Whaddaya want to do?" His voice was husky and thick, anticipating the reply he hoped she'd give. He teasingly extended his tongue to trace the outline of her lower lip.

Just before allowing him to engulf her mouth with his, she whispered against his lips, "I want you, Peeta."

He felt every cell in his body come alive with relief and desire. His hips involutarily jutted forward as she tightened her strong thighs around him. His hands travelled slowly south, from her cheeks to her...other cheeks, pulling her forward to feel his arousal more fully. Her whimper met his moan in delicious synchronicity. He could feel her heart pounding beneath her flesh. The constant lack of privacy they had, as well as her obvious desire for him made his dick the hardest it had ever been. His lips found the soft patch of skin beneath her jaw; the one that made her gasp in pleasure.

"Katniss?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is there...ah...anyone else out here?"

She heard the question, but cursed the need to think of a reply as her oxygen-starved brain was otherwise occupied. She swept the fog aside, but kept his mouth firmly planted to her neck by digging her nails into his curls.

"I think they're all down at the display. Besides..." She leaned back to lock eyes with him. "...we would've seen headlights by now if anyone parked nearby." Peeta squinted his eyes and scanned the landscape around them for other vehicles. Nothing but trees and darkness. He returned his gaze to Katniss, his expression full of mirth and longing, just before her hands encircled his neck and pulled his face down for a kiss.

She released him only long enough to grab his hands and move them from her hips to her ribcage. He gently stroked the sides of her bra beneath her underarms with his forefingers. Before long, his hungry thumbs made their way to the budding peaks beneath her tank top, circling them gently and bringing them to life. Katniss whimpered and scooted closer to the edge of the tailgate, creating more contact between her pleasure center and his building arousal. A soft, guttural moan from Peeta coincided with him circling his hips slightly, causing the front of his pants to rub against her.

Keeping the friction on her nipples, he left her lips to suck gently on the side of her neck. "You drive me crazy, you know that?"

"Peeta." She writhed and panted beneath his attention. "Hhhhhhh..."

The breath that left her resonated in his ear and sent a jolt of satisfaction to his groin. She drew away, panting for breath and locked gazes with him. Without breaking the stare, she lifted one foot to the tailgate and used the leverage to push herself further into the vehicle. Once inside, she kicked off her sandals as Peeta hoisted himself in after her. His last act before turning his full attention to her was to scan the perimeter one last time before closing the doors and blowing out the candle.

She was backed all the way into the cabin, eyes anticipating. He grabbed one of her ankles and pulled her forward, "Come here."

She skidded forward on her bottom, never more happy to comply with an order. Katniss wasn't the order-taking type, but she'd do just about anything for Peeta. She trusted him. She wanted him.  _She loved him_. She never told him and this created the only sore spot in their relationship.

* * *

_**Summer 2008, just before departing for college** _

_"Man, college girls are gonna be throwing pussy at us. We'll have to freeze some for leftovers." Finn was clearly drunk. He, Peeta, Marvel and Thresh were lying around, drinking and rejoicing in their recent graduation._

_Peeta looked at Finn slyly. He was one of the few that knew about him and Katniss. Finn placed his hand drunkenly up to his lips in a 'hush' sign. The other guys were absorbed in a live game of **Call of Duty** and weren't paying them any attention. Finn leaned in to whisper conspiratorially._

_"So, are you and Kitty Kat gonna keep things going when you leave?"_

_"Gonna try."_

_"You love her, then?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"She love you?"_

_"I think so." Peeta glanced sheepishly at his friend, embarrassed by his revelation. "She's never actually...told me."_

_Finn nodded as if contemplating a complex mathematical formula. He took a slow swig of his beer before turning to his friend again. "She suck your dick yet?"_

_The drink Peeta was sipping sputtered from his lips. He gaped at his friend in shock, though he could not help but laugh as his face colored crimson, "What?! None of your fucking business, man!"_

_"Then she has sucked your dick," Finnick stated rather confidently as he leaned back to raise his eyebrows at his best friend since kindergarten. "She loves you."_

_"Shut the fuck up, Finn." Peeta's annoyance did little to mask the hope brewing in him at hearing his friends words. He shook his head and chuckled into another swig of beer._

_"No, seriously. No girl, unless she's a bit of a slut, is going to suck a guy's dick...unless she loves him. Katniss is no slut." His skirt chasing friend tilted the neck of his beer bottle at him for emphasis, "And I know a slut when I see one."_

* * *

He slowly leaned in, kissing her into a reclining position. She slid her body further under him, allowing his weight and warmth to settle over her. It amazed her that someone as large as him could be so gentle. She could tell he was hesitant to rest all of his weight on her small frame. But, she wanted him flush against her body, and so she wrapped her arms around his broad back and pulled him closer. The symphony of tongues and limbs built to a frenzy. Peeta pressed his hardness into her, being a little less gentle than normal.

He raised his body away from hers and removed his shirt. The lights and sounds from the crowd and the display provided a soft illumination into the windows of the SUV. She reached up and ran her hands over his hard abs and felt herself moistened. He reached for the hem of her shirt and gently rolled it above her navel as he leaned forward and began applying soft, sloppy kisses to her stomach. With each kiss, the shirt was lifted higher...and higher until it was poised over the cups of her bra.

He was moving agonizingly slow and it was driving her insane. He dipped his fingertips under the cups of her bra and slowly lifted it over head along with her shirt, kissing all the way, until he finally reached her nipples. She was sure her moans from that initial contact of his lips to her breasts would've been heard if anyone had been nearby. He alternated his kisses and ministrations from one side to the other until she was begging him to just  _fuck_  her already.

"Peeta. Please."

_There was a burst of light followed by distant applause._

She could feel his lips contort into a grin. "No." More kisses. More nips. Lower. Slower. "You interrupted my dinner. I was gonna have seconds. I'm still hungry. And it's your fault." Lower. Slower. She understood now.

"What are you..." Her breath quickened, "..hungry for?"

A low growl exited his throat. He loved being teased with her words. "A little Katniss would be good."

"I hear...ah..." Lower still. "It's pretty good this time of year. And plentiful." Another moan. Was it hers? Or his?

"I like it warm." Lower. His tongue flicked around the waistband of her shorts as he loosened the clasp. "And moist." He slid her shorts and soaked underwear down her thighs, with her eager help. "Are you moist, Katniss?"

"Yes!" She felt his large, strong hands slide beneath her bottom and lift her to his mouth just before his tongue slid. Ever. So. Slowly. From the top of her sex to the very bottom. And back up again. She knew she was embarrassingly wet, but she didn't care. The feeling of Peeta's tongue circling her clit, making her thighs quiver and her hips buck, were one of her favorite things. It's what she mostly pictured when she touched herself in his absence. She hadn't felt that sensation in months and she planned to relish every lick.

He knew every curve and crevice in her that made the springs in her belly release. She could hear and feel the vibrations of his moans against her skin as he laved her clean and made way for more juices to cover her folds. He nibbled on the soft, slick nub before latching onto it that one last fateful time before she screamed his name in ecstasy. Her thighs quivered. Her hips bucked forward. She came against his mouth with a writhing that rocked the vehicle from side to side.

_Whir! Boom!_

She wasn't sure if the bursts of light began behind her eyes or in the skies above them.

_Screeech! Bam!_

Every nerve ending in her body was on fire as he entered her while she was still feeling the sensation of coming in such a glorious way. He kissed her gently and slowly, allowing her time to adjust to the differing sensations. She could see the tension in his face, thick with the desire to move and find some relief himself. He began to move painstakingly slow inside her. She could still feel herself clenching against him as she wrapped her legs higher around his waist. He made her so wet!

"Ugh! Fuck, Katniss." He carefully moved her legs higher until the backs of her knees made contact with the crooks of his elbows. "I'm so deep inside you." He said, shuddering as if in disbelief.

_Crack-Pow!_

The sensation of her slick softness wrapped around his rock-hard cock was so deliciously painful. Peeta moved inside her and tried to maintain his composure. He grunted and moaned through each thrust, rocking the vehicle even more.

She braced her arms overhead and against the back of the second row seat, pushing her body further down beneath him. Closer. Deeper. His body was slick with sweat, creating shadows across his chiseled arms and torso. Just looking at him could get her off. But, having him inside her was beyond description.

She released her hands to claw at his back and hold on for dear life. His face hovered just above hers as he tried to form a kiss on her lips but, failed as he continued to pulse away inside her. They were indeed losing their shyness with each other. Each time with each other was more erotic and sensual than the last. She tilted her hips upwards to meet his thrusts, creating an intensity that was new for them. Each pulse of him inside her massaged a place that could only be reached like this. With him. Her hand in her pants in the quiet of her room at night had never felt this damn good.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked between labored breaths.

"God, no. That...feels...fucking...incredible, Peeta." And with that, we went harder. The knot that had been building in his stomach all night, ever since she walked into the bakery, undid itself as he felt himself climbing towards release. This was the hardest he'd ever fucked her and he was glad to see she seemed to be liking it. A lot. She panted and moaned each time his hips slapped against her thighs as her calves hung, forgotten, over his elbows. Only one thing existed: the place where they connected with each other.

He felt his arms weakening just as the tidal wave hit him.

_Whooooosh! Crack!_

His final groans were released into her mouth along with his seed spilling inside of her. The feel of him tensing against her walls sent her over the edge with him for a second time that night. He slumped forward and completed the kiss before resting his shaky weight on top of her. He released her legs from their precarious positions and they stayed joined until their breaths evened out. The light illuminated their satiated faces as they looked at each other and simultaneously burst into happy grins.

"You are... _so_...amazing." He wiped a sheen of sweat away from her brow.

"Post-coital admiration, Peeta?" she asked incredulously as he rolled off of her.

He looked at her, mouth agape, "I'm serious." He grabbed his chest in mocked pain."Here I am, pouring my heart out to you, and you mock me. Oh, the pain!" He looked at her with one eyebrow raised, "How's my acting?"

"Terrible."

"Good. Then you know when I tell you how I feel about you..." he turned his body more squarely towards her to face her full-on. He trailed his hand down the side of her jaw and continued down to her shoulder, "...that I'm not acting."

He didn't end with the three words that, up to now, had created the imbalance of power in their relationship. He simply let that notion sink in. She responded with an unsteady blink of her eyes, a soft sigh and a nod so slight it was not even visible to him in such close proximity. She reached up and ran her fingers through his nearly-too-long curls, and responded the way she did far too often. Deflection protection.

"You need a haircut, blonde-wonder." Sensing her need to keep things light, he let the subject go for now and continued with the levity that was common between them when Katniss was avoiding a topic.

"Then what will you hold on to as you ride my face?"

He was relieved when he coaxed a chuckle from her luscious mouth. She smacked his chest saucily and demurred, "You're such a pervert!"

"Love me or leave me." He rolled on top of her and playfully bit into the side of her neck as she giggled. ' _Dammit, Katniss',_ she cursed herself. ' _You missed another chance. You blow! Just tell him.'_ But, Katniss, who over-thought everything, never really listened to her subconscious.

"I'm not going anywhere." Her response caused pause in Peeta as this was the closest she'd ever been to actually saying ' _I love you_ '. His heart pounded wildly in his chest.

"Close enough." He lifted his head towards hers for a breathy kiss while the mood was still good. With Katniss Everdeen, one could never tell.

She returned it fervently as her tongue tried to convey physically what it could not utter. She pushed on his left shoulder until he was flat on his back as she continued to trail sloppy kisses down to his chest and stomach. And lower. He looked at her, wide eyed, when she glanced up from what she was doing to seek out his face. It was still so soon since their last release, but his body was already reacting to her presence beneath his waist. He threw his head back and let out an anticipatory sigh as her mouth claimed its prize. She could taste the tangy evidence of their earlier union on his skin, but dismissed the desire to gag at the taste of her own arousal. She wanted to please him, without a doubt.

He may have been still recovering, but it wasn't long before she felt him stiffen in her mouth and grab a handful of her thick, curly hair. She suddenly knew what she needed to do to let Peeta know how she felt. Jo and Madge had given her tips one drunken girls' night out. She hummed her pleasure against his skin, causing him to jut his hips forward. She was alarmed for only a second as he gently pressed down on her head at the same time. He quickly withdrew his hands and uttered a barely coherent apology. She loosened the muscles of her throat to accommodate him further.

' _Okay, Katniss. That was good. You didn't gag,_ ' she thought to herself.

The effect she had on him did  _indeed_  turn her on. Peeta was always happy with how she pleased him, but she could tell she'd just raised the bar. She was beginning to see how pleasing him was also pleasing to  _her_. She alternated between quickening and slowing her movements whenever she felt him getting close, teasing him. She teased his slit with the tip of her tongue and used her hand to cover what her mouth could not.

When she locked eyes with him over a mouth full of himself, he whimpered warningly, "Katniss...ah...I'm close."

But, she didn't stop. Instead of doing her usual, finishing him with her hand, she deepened her swallow around him and hollowed her cheeks to increase the pressure...over and over and over again.

"Katniss, sweetie...shit!" He threw his head back again, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to hang on for her to release him. She didn't move. He didn't know whether to grab her head or grip the sleeping bag beneath him. His hand fidgeted between the two until he realized what she was doing.

"Ah, fuck. I'm gonna come in..." And that was all he managed.

She turned off her mind and went with what the girls had told her to do. ' _Until you get used to it, do what you did when you were a kid and didn't want to take your medicine. It's an acquired taste._ ' Jo had gotten such delight from the bewildered look on her face as she described the art of swallowing that night.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, kissed each of his thighs and returned to see his reaction. He still had his eyes closed with his hands in tight fists at his side. If she hadn't known better, she'd have thought he was having some sort of seizure. He reached around her, pulling her closer as he felt himself descend from his high. He peppered light kisses around her hair line as Finnick's words from a year ago came back to the surface.

"You didn't have to do that, you know? But, I'm so glad you did. That was...fucking incredible, Katniss."

She tilted her face up to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose before saying, "I don't do anything unless I want to. And I wanted to make you feel good."

He gently stroked her cheek with his forefinger and captured her lips with his. He could taste his salty residue on her tongue. He flattened his tongue and lapped at the inside of her mouth, surprised that she kissed him back so hungrily so soon.

* * *

"We're getting pretty good at this, no?" He splayed his hand out on her stomach and looked at the contrast in their skin tones as something beautiful. Peeta couldn't understand why others didn't look at them the same way.

"We've come a long way from those two nervous virgins, that's for sure." She nestled into his side.

Making slow circles on her lower back, he said, "I wish I had my own place, though. You deserve to be made love to in a bed...one that's not Finnick's."

"Well, I think we've gotten pretty creative at finding ways...and places." She draped her arm over his middle and tickled his side.

"Yeah, but..." He reached down and ran a single finger across her cheek. "...I want to fall asleep with you in my arms afterwards. Wake to you wearing my T-shirt. Make you breakfast. Shower with you."

The only response she provided was a soft kiss to his lips before lowering her head to rest on his shoulder. She couldn't allow herself to imagine even a taste of domestic bliss with Peeta. She couldn't risk the heartbreak and disappointment. He'd eventually come to see things her way once he realized all of his options. She had not intended on things getting this deep between them when they decided to trade their virginity over two years ago. But, his presence in her life was nothing short of magnetic. For now, she would just enjoy the moment.

"Deacon is getting his own place...again." She moved to look up at him as he continued. "I told him I'd, ah, help him with the rent until I return to school in exchange for a little space. He's been working pretty steadily at the bakery for a couple months now. Mom's driving him crazy and he's ready to move out. I just hope it doesn't end up like all of the other times he's moved out." Katniss stared at him, wide eyed with disbelief.

"Peeta, shouldn't you be saving that money? What about when it's time to go back? How's he going to maintain that once you're gone?"

"Yes, but I don't care. And he'll get a roommate." He turned her towards him by way of her shoulders. "Karniss, I'm tired of not being alone...really alone with you. We can't keep hooking up at Finn's and in vehicles. We still have nearly two months of summer left and I want to spend every moment I can with you. If you'll allow it."

She chewed her bottom lip as she surveyed the magnificent boy...man before her. The more she contemplated pushing him away, the deeper she allowed herself to get.

"I'll allow it."

* * *

The following Monday, Peeta watched as Katniss exited the forestry building. She looked stunning even in her drab uniform: matching khaki shorts and button-down, a forest green baseball cap and ankle length work-boots. He was so taken with her that he didn't even care that Cato walked alongside her with a shitty smirk on his face. When she caught sight of Peeta, she made an immediate path to him, forgetting all about the tall, dark man talking busily to her. She couldn't believe he actually came to pick her up. But, then again, this was Peeta. It was almost to be expected.

She was ashamed for not paying closer attention to what she knew he would do. He'd always been there for her. Leaning outside of his grey Honda Accord, with his arms draped across his chest, he was attracting stares from some of the other female forestry summer staff. He still had on his bakery attire, light khakis and a fitted white T-shirt. She sauntered proudly up to him, letting them know that he was hers.  _Hers_.

"Hi," she smiled up at him.

"Hi." Peeta felt a rush of arrogant joy as he watched Cato redirect his steps towards his vehicle with a frown on his face. ' _Jackass_!' he thought.

"I'm glad you came."

He leaned in and planted a soft kiss to the top of her head, ignoring her slight flinch at the PDA she hated so much.

"I'm happy to do it. This is nothing. I'd do anything for you, Katniss."

"You're too good to me, Peeta."

"Always. You deserve it." He looked at her with a mischievous grin, "Now, how'd you like to go see Deacon's...our...new place?"

The smile she offered him was enough confirmation.

* * *

**I know. I should be updating A Thin Grey Line. But, I just had to add another chapter to our car-crazed couple's story. Happy 4th of July, readers! Please review if you like.**


	3. Clutch 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to add another chapter.
> 
> I statused this story as COMPLETE because I never know which drabble will be my last. This little nugget has been rolling around in my head since I posted the last chapter. I decided to do something about it since you guys have been so awesome. And besides, it's keeping me from focusing on "A Thin Grey Line". Thanks again for reading!
> 
> This was originally a one-shot but got longer and more detailed as I wrote. Please be patient. There is a follow up chapter. This chapter picks up where Chapter 2 ended. Enjoy!

"Blondie's outside waiting for you."

Katniss glanced up from the soil sample she was examining and leveled a scowl at Cato as he walked through the doors of the workroom shared by the summer interns. She didn't have the stomach for entertaining his bullshit today. She still wasn't over the stunt he'd pulled at Mellark's Bakery a couple days ago.

"Call him by his proper name if you're going to talk to me, Cato" she swung her neck around and glared at him with eyes hazy from viewing samples all day.

Cato sauntered over seductively and sat his massive body on the edge of her desk, forcing her to look up at him. "You and Peeeeeta got plans for the night?"

"None. Of your. Business." She turned back to her sample, letting him know that she was done with him for now.

Not one to give up easily, he laced his words with mock hurt and insult, "Just trying to be friendly with a little small talk. We are coworkers, ya know." He brought his face down close enough that she could feel his breath on her ears. She backed up slightly to turn and face him and found that he was close. Very close. Too close for comfort, but she refused to blink or shrink.

"What is it with you, Cato? What's your problem?"

His face shifted and became more serious as he quickly dropped the smirk and sat up straighter. Cato was one of those guys who managed to be one-part douche-bag and three-parts nice guy, with the ratio changing without notice. The smarmy exterior was clearly a put-off to protect himself, Katniss had figured a long time ago. Just when she was pissed off enough to bring him down with a crushing throat-punch, he'd do something to redeem himself.

"Nothing. I just...I like you, Katniss."  
She rolled her eyes and scoffed as she returned her attention to her work.

"No, seriously. I do. I always have, and you know it." She glanced up again briefly, feeling the rising anger start to subside a bit. He stared into her eyes and cocked his head to the side with a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "He knows it, too. And I'm not going to stop just because he's in town for the summer."

The swiftness of her leaving her chair caused it to roll backwards from under her and collide with the table behind her. She shoved her soil sample into a container, grabbed her backpack and started gathering her things. Cato was way out of line.

As if reading her mind, he countered, "Look, I know I've over-stepped my boundaries. But seriously. I just don't want to see you get hurt, ya know." She walked swiftly towards the door, determined to not let him get to her. He stood up and nervously shoved his hands into the pockets of his khaki work shorts and walked after her. "I mean...guys like Mellark rarely go against the grain, Katniss."

This stopped her dead in her tracks. She whipped her head around so fast it sent her braid flying. What was it with everyone acting like she and Peeta were from different species altogether? She was growing exhausted of the reminders of how different they were or how unique their relationship was. She didn't know why anyone really gave a fuck. She was about to unleash on on him until the expression on Cato's face drew her down. He looked so unsure of himself, like he wanted to say something, but was hesitant. She knew what he was getting at, though.

"I mean, what's he got over a guy like me, anyways? He's not gonna go against his southern belle mama and marry a black girl. Don't let him use you then toss you aside when he gets serious about his future." Cato started to move closer but seemed to think better of it when her eyes burned through him.

"Whoa! Who's talking marriage? And what part of any of this is your business?" She punctuated each word with a jab of her finger pointed straight at his chest.

She could NOT let rumors get back to Evelyn Mellark that she 'had her hooks' in Peeta. She'd bring the hammer down even harder on him if she heard that. Besides, she was too young to even be thinking about marriage; she was never getting married. She was focusing on getting her undergraduate degree and, eventually, law school

"None of it is my business. But, you tell me. When's the last time you went to his house for dinner?"

"Fuck you, Cato." This conversation was starting to sound suspiciously like all the ones she had with Gale concerning Peeta; and she hated herself for letting him shake her resolve. She stared him down and willed the war between her own self-doubt and rage to settle and remove their clutches from her heart.

Peeta's mother was a bitch to her. That's the only reason she made herself scarce around the Mellark residence. Peeta had ceased caring what his mother thought of their friendship years ago. But, as long as it kept Evelyn from hurting him and kept her paying for his education, she'd make herself scarce as long as was necessary. But none of this was Cato's fucking business. And with that in mind, she jutted her chin out and headed towards the door once more.

But, being the persistent asshole that he was, Cato called out to her, "My mother would love you, Katniss."

She snatched the door open and nearly plowed into a massive chest topped off by a bed of messy, blonde curls. Despite her nervousness of wondering how much of that little exchange he'd possibly heard, she was beyond relieved to see Peeta.

"Hey, you. I was just coming to see if you were gonna work all night. I texted you to tell you I was waiting outside." He looked from her to Cato and back again and seemed to detect the thickness in the air.

"I'm sorry. My phone was in my bag. And I was just finishing up a sample."

"Everything okay?" He looked over her shoulder at the hulking, dark-skinned man on the other side of the room, asking the question more for his benefit than for hers.

Peeta moved fully into the room, stuffing his hands into his pockets while facing Cato menacingly across the distance. The scene he caused in the bakery a fews days prior were still fresh in his memory. It was no secret to anyone in their graduating class that Cato had a thing for Katniss. While he'd grown used to the taunts and jabs, he couldn't tolerate him upsetting Katniss.

Peeta's presence broke through the fog that had settled over Katniss' mood, just like always. She shook herself free of the rising anger and dread, "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just exhausted and ready to go. Just let me get my stuff from the locker room."

She took control of the situation and walked out the door, hoping Peeta would take the hint and follow her. She was thankful to get the hell out of that room and away from Cato. He put her nerves on edge. Peeta took one last opportunity to stare the other man down, sending a not-so-subtle message before joining Katniss out in the hallway. Cato raised his chin slightly in defiance, but the message was received loud and clear. No insincere pleasantries would be passed between these two. Peeta doubled his steps to catch up with Katniss, who was now outside of the locker room.

"Hey," he grabbed for her arm and spun her around. "Was he bothering you, Kat?"  
Desperate to not let Cato's very existence ruin what was sure to be a good evening, she shook her head convincingly and crafted a quick lie, "No, Peeta. He was just...giving me shit about a mistake I made on some soil samples earlier."

He didn't seem to buy it. He could always tell when Katniss was lying because she sucked at it. He knew he'd interrupted a tense moment, but let the subject drop anyway. Pushing her too far never got good results. He'd learned a long time ago to just let her come around when she was ready to. She'd tell him eventually if there was something to be concerned about. It's just how Katniss was.

Once in the car, Katniss removed the standard-issue hiking boots that were given to all summer forestry interns. While they offered solid protection against uneven terrain, mounds of dog poop and tiny woodland critters, they were too fucking hot to wear a minute longer than necessary. She plopped her bare feet up on the dash to air them out and glanced over at Peeta, who playfully waved his open hand in front of his face and scrunched up his nose.

"Whew! Who knew those pretty little feet could smell so bad?"

That earned him a swift punch in the arm with one hand a 'fuck you' finger with the other, "Asshole."

He chuckled mischievously, "That's okay. I share an apartment with Deacon, so I'm used to personal smells, if you know what I mean. Just not from someone so cute."

"Watch it, Mellark. Sweating all day in a bakery does nothing for your sex appeal, either." She reached into her backpack and fished out a pair of green flip-flops to put on.

Peeta sniffed his armpit playfully, "Are you kidding me? That's manly. I thought chicks loved musk."

In actuality, she loved the way Peeta smelled after a day in the bakery. His musky scent mixed with the delicious smells that clung to his ever-present white t-shirt were practically an aphrodisiac. Cinnamon, sage and dill. Dough and sugar. She caught herself licking her lips as she stared across the front seat at him. His eyes were solidly on the road ahead and she took the opportunity to stare at him unfettered. The words from Cato wormed their way into her consciousness in spite of her best efforts to shake them off.

He took his eyes off the road for only a second to look over at her. She saw the slightly darkened look of his swollen pupils that were filled with premonitions of what the evening ahead had to offer. Her cheeks warmed as she bit her lip and turned her gaze to the passing scenery.

She and Peeta did not usually have a lot of time alone. They were about a month into their summer break and were taking advantage of every chance to be together. Going their separate ways at the beginning of the Fall semester would be filled with angst and insecurities, just like the Fall before. But, she was damned if she was going to let Cato ruin the first night they had to truly be alone.

They both realized that in eight short weeks, Peeta would be boarding a plane for Georgia to return to school. Right now, all either of them could think about was the newfound privacy they were about to enjoy. Peeta's middle brother, Deacon, had once again gotten fed up with their mother's meddling ways and moved out of the Mellark home. This wouldn't be the first time, and, knowing Deacon, it wasn't likely to be the last. But it was the first time since Peeta had become, technically, an adult that he had a place to call his own. Deacon had proposed that they be summer roommates until Peeta's return to school, at which time the older man would have to advertise for a new roommate to help him make ends meet. Peeta jumped at the chance for several reasons, the biggest being the possibility of spending time with Katniss without his mother's rude interventions and questions.

Their friendship had blossomed into a sexual relationship out of sheer comfort and trust of one another. They made a vow to avoid the dreaded 'friends with benefits' tag, but their original intent to just lose their virginity to each other didn't hold for very long. Their natural attraction to each other and their longstanding friendship had morphed effortlessly into a long distance relationship filled with sexy text messages, sweet Skype sessions and long conversations at bedtime. They waited eagerly for each school break when Peeta could be home and they could rekindle the fire that had been building practically from the day they met.

Most of their time spent together, until now, was in the presence of Katniss' family or with their mutual friends, who were one-by-one coming to realize the two were a bit more than just affectionate buddies. Peeta was anxious to move beyond just having a long distance girlfriend-boyfriend arrangement, even if it was with his best friend. He loved Katniss with all his heart and thought maybe she might feel the same way, though she'd never said as much. He was careful not to push her too fast for fear of pushing her away; but if he were bold enough to speak his thoughts out loud, he wanted to marry her someday. Getting past the hurdle of his mother's racism and dislike of Katniss (or anyone who was different for that matter) was a fine line they both walked by just pretending it didn't exist.

The lack of privacy and Peeta's tense home-life meant that most of their times together were fraught with well-crafted lies, hasty lovemaking and the panic of being caught in the act. He longed to hold her after making her come, through the night and into the next morning. He wanted to shower with her and wake her with the smell of coffee and bacon the next morning. It was a silly fantasy, he knew, but he was excited to finally be getting close.

Katniss could tell that he was probably thinking along the same lines that she was. Privacy. Sweet, uninterrupted privacy and an actual bed at the same time…or not…depending on where things ended up. Not having to jump up and get dressed quickly and finally experiencing what it falling asleep in his arms sent a wave of excitement through her. There was always room at Finnick's place, but it sucked to have him know what was probably happening in one of his family's spare bedrooms.

To avoid having to explain too much, Katniss had told her mom that she'd be going home with Rue,who also worked as a forestry intern, to spend the night. She'd just wash her clothes there and catch a ride to work with Rue's father the following morning. She'd informed Rue, just to cover her bases. Her mother had never put too many restrictions on her, especially since Katniss had practically raised Prim during her mother dark and depressive days. She was nineteen, after all; an adult under the law. She didn't need her mother's permission to be out at night. But she didn't want her to know everything. She especially didn't want her to know that she and Peeta were having sex. Iris Everdeen was as oblivious as ever in thinking that the two were still that sweet little boy and girl; two friends who just realized they had crushes on each other.

* * *

Peeta fumbled with the lock on the door as Katniss impatiently tapped out a tune with her bare feet behind him. He kept jiggling it but just couldn't get the door open.

"Lemme see." Katniss reached around him to grab the key and jimmy it in the lock. One twist and a bump of her hip freed the door from its spot.

Peeta looked at her with raised brows, "Impressive."

"Comes from living in shitty military housing. Wood probably needs to be shaved. Complain to the landlord."

Katniss tossed him the keys as Peeta nodded and followed her into the apartment. He realized that each day brought another thing about his girlfriend that impressed him even more. She was beautiful, smart, witty, self-sacrificing, strong and sexy as hell.

The apartment was a modest one, understandably since Deacon was a cheapskate. But, the inside was decked out with a plush brown leather sofa, a flatscreen TV that would be the envy of any bachelor and artifacts strewn throughout that gave it a warm, homey feel. The colors were rich and inviting: soft browns and tans, delicate oranges, Peeta's favorite color, and reds dotted throughout.

"Dad helped with some of the furniture. Deacon and I certainly couldn't have afforded this on our own." But, she was sure Peeta had something to do with the selections. Deacon could give less than a shit. Whereas Peeta always had an eye for beauty and quality.

On the wall were several paintings, large and small, that Katniss recognized as Peeta's work. His mother never let him display his 'junk' in her home, so he'd begun storing his favorites away in their family's garage and the bakery storage. He gave a lot of it away to friends and local charities. In fact, she had a couple of pieces which she proudly displayed on her own bedroom wall. Peeta's mother hated the fact that he wanted to be an artist. It wasn't prestigious enough a pursuit for her. As a result he never cultivated the confidence in his work that matched its beauty. Despite his friends telling him how good he was and how beautiful his work was, he never quite believed it. But, his desire to create never waned. He was constantly drawing or painting something.

Peeta stuck his elbow out, "Let me give you the grand tour, milady." She took his arm as he showed her the kitchen which looked out over the living-room. There were stainless steel mixing bowls hanging from hooks on the wall, a large red Cuisinart mixer with a matching red tea kettle. She loved tea in the morning and wondered if he had her in mind when they purchased it. There were beautiful, shiny canisters filled with flour, rice, beans, sugars, various tea bags and pasta. This was surely not a bachelor's kitchen. But, Peeta was not your typical guy.

With a final wave of his arm towards the kitchen, he turned and ushered her back towards the living-room. Also off the living-room was a guest bathroom which was also nicely decorated and, apparently, freshly painted. He laced his fingers through hers and walked her down the hallway. On one end was Deacon's bedroom with its own adjoining bathroom. They didn't venture inside, but only peeked from the doorway. Katniss wriggled her nose at the half-made bed and the clean and dirty clothes strewn about. There were shoes lying just inches outside of the closet and clothes on top of the hamper rather than in it. There were papers littering the top of his dresser, leaving barely a few square inches of space on top.

"Didn't you guys just move in?"

"Yup, he managed to do this much damage in just 3 days." They looked at each other and laughed at the striking difference between Peeta and his brother. Where they differed in temperament and personalities, they more than made up for in their deep, abiding love and respect for each other. Deacon would do anything for Peeta, and likewise.

The next stop was Peeta's room, on the opposite end of the hallway. The difference between the two was startling. In the center of the room was a platform bed, which was neatly made. Peeta's palm grew sweaty against hers as they both eyed the bed at the same time. She glanced at him shyly in time to catch the darkening in his eyes and dry clicking in his throat as he swallowed.

"This is my room."

The color scheme echoed that of the living-room, confirming Katniss' suspicions that it was Peeta who was responsible for the decor. His shoes were neatly lined up inside of his open closet as his shirts and pants hung above on hangers. Pants on one side. Shirts on the other. He even had his dress shirts and polo shirts separated. There were stacks of various colored t-shirts and sweaters on the shelf above alongside what appeared to be boxes of art supplies. The dresser top was clear of any clutter except for an alarm clock, which she knew he purposefully kept on the other side of the room to force himself out of bed in the mornings.

"Wow. You really are this neat. And all these years, I thought it was your mother's doing."

"Well, I guess she's rubbed off on me in some ways." He caught himself quickly and turned her to face him. "But, in only the best ways." He planted a feather-light kiss to her lips as his thumb raked gently along her jaw. The kiss surprised Katniss but was no less welcomed as she braced herself on her tip-toes to meet it. She allowed her tongue to play along his bottom lip, giving the signal that she wanted to deepen the kiss. He parted his lips to let her sweep her tongue along the inside of his mouth and gave her a low moan of approval from the back of his throat.

Without realizing she was doing so, she began backing him up until his back was against the wall just inside the entrance to his room. His hands glided down her sides to find her hips and pull her forward, flush against his stomach. Her small hands gripped the back of his neck, alternating between twirling the hairs at his nape and tugging on the collar of his flour-covered T-shirt. Their noses bumped against each other as they alternated angles, trying to find the deepest connection. The soft sighs that fell from her mouth caused his khakis to tighten unmercifully. No matter how many times he'd had her, being with her never got old. It always filled him with excitement and anticipation, with each time being better than the last. He was certain that tonight would be no different, but…that's not all he wanted out of the night.

"If we don't stop, I'll never get to make you that dinner," he said as he detached himself from her lips to lean his forehead against hers.

Their hearts raced in tandem against each other as she nodded against his forehead. By the time he and Katniss had admitted that their feelings for each other went beyond friendship, he was preparing to leave for college. Since being together, their private times were usually so rushed, they scarcely had time for anything except for a little conversation and some quick sex. He wanted desperately to show her that his feelings for her extended far beyond the physical. In spite of how horny he was for her, he would not let tonight be just about sex. He wanted to do something nice for her, so he'd spent the previous evening shopping for ingredients for her favorite meal: lamb stew. It was expensive and time consuming, but Katniss was worth it. He'd chopped all of the vegetables, herbs and meat into sections and cubes the night before, ignoring the fatigue that was already upon him from a long day at the bakery and unpacking a new apartment.

He tucked a dark, curly tendril behind her ear and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Wanna help?"

"Ew, I'm disgusting. I sweated and dug in the dirt all day."

"Well, I'm not exactly clean." he said. "I'm gonna just change my shirt and wash up before I start."

"Well, at least you earned your sweat in a kitchen. I've been swatting bugs and dodging bird poop."

"Okay, well. You can shower in my bathroom. Throw on some of my stuff and toss your clothes out so I can put them to wash."

Katniss hesitated just slightly as she eyed him with what seemed to be a question behind her eyes. Peeta was always doing nice things for her. She felt like she'd never be able to do enough in return to show her appreciation.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're just really sweet to me is all. Picking me up. Making dinner. Now doing my laundry."

"I told you, Katniss. I enjoy doing things for you. I mean that." Katniss sucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she studied the face of the boy she thought she knew so well, but who was constantly surprising her.

* * *

His heart stuttered at the sight of her in his clothes as she entered the kitchen. His clothes.

There was a little possessive side to Peeta that he tried to keep hidden from her, but the longer they were together, the harder that was becoming. It was becoming harder to even tolerate the playful flirting from Finnick and Gale. Everyone knew Finnick flirted with anything with breasts. And Gale...well that was more complicated.

He sometimes couldn't believe it had finally happened. She was his girl. They'd always shared their innermost fears and greatest secrets with each other. But, now he'd seen her naked, had been inside her and knew what she tasted like. He got to kiss her whenever he wanted, as long as she allowed it. The friendship part of their relationship was a bit more complicated now, yes. But, it had been enhanced rather than ruined. He could still confide in her if he needed to. He felt very fortunate and was not about to let his mother or anyone else ruin what he'd longed for for years.

Katniss walked stealthily over to him with a shy smile on her face. It was not lost on either of them, the tone of domesticity that was in the air.

"So, what're you cooking for me?" She hopped up on a barstool as Peeta ogled the delicate curves of her toned legs poking from under his ill-fitting clothes. Although she wore a pair of his gym shorts, cinched as tight as she could get them, the shirt she wore covered them completely. This gave the illusion that she wore nothing underneath the shirt. The fact that he knew her underwear were in the wash and not under those shorts didn't help him keep his wits about him. Her bare breasts jiggled underneath his shirt and skimmed the fabric just enough to cause him to force his gaze elsewhere for fear of staring too long and coming off as creepy.

"Ah...lamb stew." The words finally tumbled forth from his mouth as he licked his lips to clear his addled brain.

"Oh, my God! Are you serious?" Katniss' eyebrows shot skyward, totally missing his darkened stare in her excitement at her favorite meal. He couldn't help but smile at the little-girl-like enthusiasm she had for the simplest things.

"Totally," he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss to her lips, shaking himself out of his x-rated reverie, before turning to continue adding ingredients to the spanking-brand-new pot on the stove. "Nothing but the best for our first night of real privacy together. And to go with it..." Peeta popped a tray out of the fridge lined with raw cheese buns ready to add to the oven at the right time.

"Peeta!" Katniss clapped with delight as her stomach grumbled with anticipated pleasure. He then produced a bowl of salad so hearty it could serve as a meal all by itself.

"And for desert, I just picked up some of that gelato you love; fudge brownie and caramel cookie crunch. Your choice. I'm too wiped out from baking all day to make anything sweet tonight."

She hopped off the stool and wrapped her arms around his waist as he balanced the bowl of salad above her head."Hey!"

"It's wonderful. Thank you." She looked up at him with her chin tilted up and pressed into his chest. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

"Only want the best for my girl. But, I can't feed you like this every night or I'll go broke before school starts."

"A box of mac-n-cheese would have sufficed." Anything tastes better when you're around, Peeta. She knew she should say these things out loud, but she was such a coward when it came to words and feelings.

"Blech! We must do something about your cooking skills." Peeta screwed up his face at the notion, as he detested processed food. But that was practically all Katniss had grown up on since she'd had to learn to fend for herself and Prim during her mother's 4-year mental hiatus after her father died. They subsisted on a steady diet of hamburger helper, sloppy joes, hot dogs and her second favorite, mac-n-cheese.

She was introduced to the deliciousness of lamb stew as a little girl when her father used to make it. It was one of his Sunday specialties. Once she'd mentioned to Peeta how much she used to love those Sundays when her dad would not have military duty on the base. He'd cook an elaborate family meal and spoil 'his girls' all day long. It was his way of making up for being gone so often. Peeta had surprised her by learning to make it and bringing her and Prim some during that time when her mother was barely aware of anything except her own pain.

Katniss walked over to Peeta's laptop, perched on the kitchen counter with what must've been his lamb stew recipe loaded on a web page.

"Can I check my Facebook real quick?"  
"Sure, help yourself. I know that recipe practically by heart. I just use it as a reference."

She scrolled through the notifications, long-ignored friend requests and news feeds before something caught her eye: a picture of Peeta with a group of the most manufactured beautiful people she'd ever seen. Most of them were blonde-haired and blue-eyed, save for one beautiful, fox-faced redhead. They looked like a fucking Abercrombie ad...with Peeta at the center being eye-fucked by a blonde girl with large boobs. They appeared to be having a great time on the lawn of a house that rivaled the ones Finnick and Madge had grown up in. She cleared her throat nervously and tried to find interest in posts from other people. There was Johanna with her tongue in some dude's ear. Thresh and Rue had posted a selfie from their day at the water park. Her brain barely registered any of that because it was still four of five posts behind.

Peeta.  
Blonde.  
Eye-fucking blonde.

She couldn't help but wonder when this event had occurred. She talked to Peeta almost every night unless he was bogged down with homework. He'd never even mentioned going to something like this. He hardly talked about his friends at school, save for his roommate, Kevin Glosster. She'd seen this particular blonde in other shots, but never thought much of it. Peeta had never mentioned any new friends and that made her insignificant. Until now.

"Anything interesting going on?"

"No. Just the usual. Johanna's latest conquest and Finnick riding the waves in Cali. I think he's due back next week."

"Good. I miss that asshole." Comments like that normally got a laugh or at least a chuckle out of her, but she just looked away. Without really meaning to, she snapped his Macbook closed loudly. The gesture was much sharper than she intended it to be and she immediately flushed with shame. She certainly couldn't afford to replace his fancy laptop.

Peeta glanced up from where he was spinning the salad. "Everything okay?"

"Yep. Do you want me to put the cheese buns in? It's getting a little late." She stood up and stalked past him to get to the fridge. Peeta grabbed her wrist gently and spun her around.

"No. It's too soon." He pulled her in close and let his hands rest on her hips before planting a soft kiss on her lips. "If they get done before the stew, they'll get cold. And I know you like it hot." He lifted her hand to his mouth and sucked on a finger playfully and seductively.

"I promise to let you lick the butter off my fingers this time." Katniss, who was not in the mood and not to be impressed, gently pushed him away by planting her hands on his chest and moving back.

"Okay, then, give me something else I can do. I wanna help."

She was beginning to sound irritated and hated the sharp tone of her own voice. She didn't want to be one of those girls; the ones who scrutinized every post and tag on their boyfriends' Facebook. She felt ashamed yet justified in her feelings all at the same time.

Not giving up, he pulled her close once more and pressed his stomach into her front. He was used to Katniss' mood swings and was trying to bring back fun!Katniss, "I have a few ways you can help."

"Stop it, Peeta."

Okay. He was confused. Utterly confused.

They'd been waiting for a solid month for some alone time that wasn't in the backseat of a stupid car and she was acting really weird all of a sudden. His mind wandered back to the scene with Cato and he wondered if there was something there.

"Katniss, is everything okay? You seem irritated all of a sudden."

"I'm not irritated..."

"Go tell someone who doesn't know you better, 'cause I'm not buying it." He fixed her with a challenging glare that was also very concerned.

"It's nothing. Forget it."

"Not buying it." He grabbed her hand to entwine his fingers with hers. He hoped desperately that nothing had happened between her and Cato to have her acting off in this way. But, mostly he hoped his attempt at being crass and sexy didn't put her off. He knew that Gale was constantly filling her head with ideas that 'a guy like him' would want only one thing with a 'girl like you, Katnip'.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and pivoted her towards the barstool in the kitchen. With a gentle shove, he motioned for her to sit facing him.

"Katniss...talk to me. We've been friends too long to start acting weird with each other. Now. What's going on?"

She looked away, embarrassed yet pissed, at the effect this was all having on her. But, he was onto her and she was either going to fess up or act like a bitch all night.

"Peeta, do you ever...I don't know..." She worried her hands in her lap as she struggled to find the right words that wouldn't make her sound like a desperate lump of a girlfriend. "Do you ever wish that you didn't have someone back home?"

"What?" his brows knitted in frustration and confusion.

"I mean...a girlfriend. Do you sometimes wish you didn't have a girlfriend back home? Because if you do…"

His heart stuttered. Could this be happening right now? Was she breaking up with him because the distance was just too much?

Before she could finish…

"No, I've never wished that. I'm not sure where this is going, Kat." He stood up and released his hands from her shoulders. With all of the pride he could muster and to not let his insecurities get the best of him, he asked, "Are you getting tired of me?"

The same confusion that had registered on his face earlier now peppered her features…it was as if she didn't understand a word he'd just said, "What?" Her brows knitted together in that scowl that had brought him to his knees more than once. "No! Peeta! You're such a...ugh!" They both inhaled: him from relief and her to gather the nerve to go on.

"I just noticed that a particular blonde tags you in photos a lot on Facebook." He was tagged in a lot of photos, but they were usually pics of just Peeta, or Peeta with his frat or roommate. In the union. On the lawn of the frat house. At a party with a drink in his hand. Sometimes she'd be in the background, staring at him like a hungry dog at a bone. She usually scrolled past them as quickly as possible in an effort to, again, not be that girl.

"Who? Ebby? That's Gloss's...um...girl...or hookup or whatever. She's always around."  
"No. Not her, Peeta. You know who I'm talking about."  
"Who?"

He knew damn well who she was talking about as he swallowed a nervous tick in his throat. He didn't know what was worse, worrying about Katniss dumping him or keeping her from thinking anything was going on with Glimmer. The girl had been throwing suggestions his way since their first semester. Admittedly, his ego was stroked by her attention. But, Peeta knew there'd be no one to replace Katniss, and had told Glimmer as much. But, Glimmer simply winked at him seductively and said, "I'm patient. We've got four whole years together."

It wasn't like Glimmer was hard-up for male attention. On the contrary, she was gorgeous, wealthy and a lot of fun. She believed in dealing in quantity. But, she hadn't let up in her pursuit of Peeta in spite of his lack of interest and constant talk about Katniss. As hot as she was, his feelings for her were not reciprocated. Not like the ones he had for Katniss.

Glimmer was pretty and bold, but she didn't compare to Katniss. His mother, on the other hand, was constantly making hints about them in hopes that it'd eventually rub off. He knew that she conspired behind the scenes with Glimmer's aunt, her old roommate, to keep the girl going after Peeta. He just acted like he didn't know a thing and hoped the situation would go away when either his mother saw how serious he was about Katniss or when he saved enough money to not need her support. Glimmer was exactly the type of girl she'd want him to bring home: blonde, beautiful, superficial, from the 'right' kind of family...and white.

Katniss looked at him disbelievingly and fought the jealousy rising in her chest, "The blonde with the porn-star tits. She's always snapping pics of you or sticking her duck lips out next to you."

"Oh, her." He couldn't meet her eyes. He didn't want to end up telling her about his mother's meddling, giving her one more reason to feel insecure about their relationship. "She's the niece of one of my mom's sorority sisters from when she was at Georgia Tech. I kinda got stuck with her. Mom introduced us when we went down for orientation and she's in my frat's sister sorority. She just kind of...shows up."

Katniss nodded knowingly and suddenly felt the need to change the subject. She didn't bother to ask anymore questions. She didn't want to. Why give more fuel to her jealousy? The boobs and flawless skin were enough to deal with. She decided to drop it.

"Kat, there's nothing there." Peeta looked at her pleadingly and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

"Peeta, it's not like you can't be around other girls. I don't expect that."

"But, obviously something bothers you. And I'm telling you, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing. From her or anyone."

He moved in closer to try and punctuate the meaning behind his words while covering the half-lie he was telling. True, Glimmer was no threat to Katniss as far as he was concerned. But, it didn't mean that she didn't try. He just didn't think Katniss needed to hear that. He made a vow to put more distance between him and Glimmer upon his return to school. He was being way too nice to her and jeopardizing his relationship.

"But, I know other girls are going to be attracted to you. I'm okay with that. I just want you to be honest with me, okay?"

"Honest about what?"

"I don't want to be the ball-n-chain. I don't want to get in the way of you having an amazing time in college."

"But, you're not. I have a good time. And I encourage you to do the same."

"I know. And I do."

Peeta couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't have lies or half-truths between him and Katniss. If she ever found out through a weird set of circumstances she'd never trust him again. As difficult as it was, he decided to come clean.

"Look, you're right. Glimmer is very…flirty." He linked his fingers through hers and looked at her nervously, beseechingly, waiting for her to unleash on him. If he ended up in the doghouse on their first night of complete privacy it was his own damn fault for being way too fucking nice to Glimmer. "But, she's like that with a lot of people and I don't see her in that way. I don't want her. I don't have feelings for her. At all."

"But, clearly Peeta, she's the type your mom would want for you."

Peeta bristled, "Who cares what my mom wants? She hasn't approved of anything I've done since middle school anyway. I stopped trying to do what pleases her. I don't care what she thinks."

"And wouldn't your little black girlfriend be just the thing to show her how much you don't care?"

He didn't say a word. He couldn't. He just removed his hands from hers and backed away to walk across the kitchen. With barely controlled tension, he lifted the top off the lamb stew and stirred it vigorously. He hung his head over the pot, staring blankly at it as the steam wafted into his face. He hoped the heat would be a good mask for the crimson that was crawling up his neck as he held his tongue. Katniss could she his jaw muscles working with the restraint we was exercising and she felt immediately ashamed. All her life she'd had a problem with how she expressed herself, often holding in the words she should say and blurting out those she should keep in.

Peeta was clearly upset. How dare she imply that his interest in her was tied to rebelling against his mother? Had he not done everything he possibly could to let her know how much he loved her? He could even deal with her not saying the words, because he knew deep down inside that she must love him, too. To suggest something like that not only made him extremely sad, but it pissed him off to no end. His was not one to use people like pieces in a game. He detested his mother's warped sense of class superiority. It made him ill and embarrassed for her.

He was not like his mother in any way, shape or form. And he refused to be passive like his dad or submissive like Vigo. But, he certainly didn't feel the need to rebel against her like Deacon did. His middle brother engaged in any form of irresponsibility and debauchery to get under Evelyn's skin. But deep down, all he wanted was her approval. Approval that Peeta was smart enough to know he'd never get.

So, he'd always been the one son who did exactly what the hell he wanted and suffered the consequences. Sure, she had some influence over him when he was younger and more under her control. But, at nineteen, he could already see the veil of her control lifting more and more each year. As heartbreaking as it was to be away from Katniss for four whole years, he knew going away to school had been the best possible thing for him. His thoughts consumed him until he felt a small hand creep around his waist and soft breasts press into his back. He stiffened for just a second before relaxing into her touch.

"I'm sorry, Peeta. That wasn't fair of me. I was way out of line. I just..."

"Shhh..." He spun around to envelop her into a hug. "Don't apologize. It's not you I'm mad at." It was just a small lie. "I'm angry at the situation that would cause you to think that, and rightfully so. But, just know this..." He released her and grabbed both her hands, pressing them into his chest so she could feel the rapid pace of his heart.

"I love everything about you."

There it was again. That word. Sometimes she didn't know what to make of it. Peeta was expressive and he loved everything. He loved seafood. He loved art and rainy Sundays. He loved beer. He even told Finnick he loved him when he was drunk enough. Oh, she was sure he loved her in some way. She wasn't sure if it was THE way. So she never responded in kind. Love meant nothing but trouble, especially if one crossed the invisible dividing lines set up by our society. She watched as her mother became virtually invisible to her family after declaring her love for her father, one of the sweetest men to ever have lived. It was easier for her family to pretend that they didn't exist than to acknowledge the deep bond and affection the Everdeens shared for each other. As for Katniss, her love for Peeta ran deep. So deep she kept it locked away for her eyes only. Even Peeta himself had only been given brief glimpses of the special treasure she kept locked within. The phrase 'Still waters run deep' was coined for Katniss Everdeen herself. Peeta's voice brought her back from the brink of painful childhood memories.

"I stopped caring what other people thought about me, Katniss, when I was a little boy walking around with bruises. I believe most people are good and kind and nonjudgmental, and then there are people like my mom who invest way too much in what they look like on the outside or what kind of house they live in or what they drive. I've never understood what the big deal is. I don't see much difference between you and me except...what? You have dark hair that curls and more pigmentation than I do? That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard of in my life."

"Yes, I know it's dumb but,...it's the way things are."  
"Shhh." He covered her mouth and swallowed her retort with hungry lips. "Don't give it credence." He buried his fingertips in her dark curls and attacked her lips again with a ferocity that made her whimper in that way that he liked. When the kiss had rendered them both breathless, he pulled away and placed his forehead to hers, leaving her lips aching sweetly.

"Look. She's not my type. And even if she were...I don't want to see other girls, Katniss."

"Peeta..."

"But, I find your jealousy to be very...sexy."

"I'm not jealous."

"Sure, you're not."

"Okay, maybe a little."

He wondered if she'd ever drop it. Their first night in his new place, complete with privacy and a wonderful meal and he was going to spend it in the dog house. She stared up at him with those quicksilver eyes that would always be his undoing. She could see straight through him and she was doing it right now. He braced himself.

"What?"

She swept her hand across his forehead to move a curl dampened by his work in the kitchen, "You're handsome, smart, kind, funny. Now you're telling me you're adding faithful boyfriend to the list?"

'I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell,' she thought silently. 'Women will always be out to take you from me. Everyone will always wonder what you see in me.'

He smiled, somewhat relieved that this wasn't going to escalate into Katniss shutting him out all night. But, he knew the conversation was far from over. He leaned down and captured her lips in another savory kiss.

Katniss' private thoughts continued to plague her. 'I thought my dad was the last of the good ones. And my mom went bat-shit crazy when she lost him.'

"You're stuck with me, girl."

He backed her up slowly, never taking his mouth far from hers. When her back finally met the wall, he reached down and grabbed both her wrists and brought them over her head and held them in place with one large hand while his other traced the soft planes of her face.

"You're so beautiful. And so hard-headed. Why would I want anyone else?"

Her chest heaved up and down with anticipation. She'd wasted enough time on her stupid jealousy and was ready to move past it. Peeta's hand slowly descended down her arm, past the crook of her elbow and the side of her breast. His thumb jutted out and raked across the hardened skin of her nipple through the thin tshirt, causing her to gasp lightly. She signaled him with her eyes, 'Touch me.'

Not wasting any time with this emboldened Katniss, he slid his hands underneath the oversized shirt to caress her breast, skin-to-skin. Her hips jerked forward as she licked her lips to stifle a moan as his thumb traced gentle circles around the pebbled skin, "You know that's my weakness."

With a grin, Peeta lifted the shirt over her head and immediately leaned down to attach his mouth to her bare nipple. She cried out and hoped that the walls in his apartment were not as thin as they looked. With his mouth alternating from one precious mound to the other, he slipped his hands into the oversized gym shorts she'd borrowed from him and grabbed her ass.

"That feels so good, Peeta."  
Bold Katniss was his favorite. She made only rare appearances, but when she did...

Her panties and bra were still in the wash, so she was bare underneath. Her skin was so soft. So smooth. And her cute little ass fit right in the palms of his large hands. He kneaded it as he would the most precious dough, pulling her forward to deepen his latch on her nipple. He used the purchase he had on her hips to lift her up so that she could wrap her legs around his torso. She felt the stiffened evidence of his wanting her. And only her.

"No one else could do this to me but you, Katniss."

He nipped at her favorite spot just beneath her jaw, causing her to gasp and buck her hips forward. He rolled his hips against her, pressing her into the wall and felt the heat rising from her core seep into the front of his pants. The sensation of her taught bare breasts scraping against his T-shirt was unbearable. She wanted him. He wanted her. Now.

"Ungh," he groaned in her ear. "I don't want to date other girls. I don't want to fuck other girls. I don't want to taste other girls. I'm yours. And I'm going to remind you of that right now."


	4. Clutch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking so long to update this. I know how annoying it is to start a story, only to have to reacquaint yourself with the details in order to understand the latest chapter. If it were at all possible, I'd do nothing but write about these two...and eat. So, again...please forgive me.
> 
> There will be another chapter posted shortly after this one. Although this will remain a WIP, these will likely be the last chapters for RICWP until I can wrap up A Thin Grey Line. I have another couple of stories, one a drabble and one a multi-chapter, rolling around in my head. But, given my track record, I won't start those until ATGL is done. So, here's a synopsis of where we were last time.
> 
> 1\. This chapter picks up where Chapter 3 left off.
> 
> 2\. Peeta interrupted some drama between Katniss and Cato at her worksite, giving him a case of the jellies.
> 
> 3\. Peeta is renting an apartment with his brother, Deacon, for the summer, giving him and his girl on fire some much needed alone time.
> 
> 4\. Katniss gets a little jelly herself when she see's Glimmer's posts to Peeta's Facebook.
> 
> 5\. Peeta reminds her, as only he can, the she is the only one for him.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

July, Summer 2009

The throaty gravel in his voice always made her insides coil. He supported her in getting her feet back on the floor as his kisses descended from her neck to her shoulders. In her delirium, she was completely oblivious to him dropping to his knees in front of her. She was so lost in the warmth of his mouth covering her upper body with kisses that she didn't even open her eyes until she felt a coldness in the place where he'd been. She looked down to see Peeta kneeling in front of her with a pleading look in his eyes. His hands hovered at the waistband of the borrowed shorts, which were at this point barely hanging onto her hips.

She'd decided to drop the demure pretense of not wanting him to know just how badly she wanted him...all the time. He kissed her stomach sloppily and watched it clench as he slid the pants slowly past her thighs, her calves and, finally, her ankles. She lifted each foot to help him remove them from their confines so he could toss the offensive garment aside. She could see him swallow and heard the clicking in his throat as he stared at the soft patch of dark curls between her legs. Curls that she had, thankfully, given a good trim just the night before.

She felt nervousness start to snake its way into her mood. Why she felt that way, she hadn't a clue. She and Peeta had seen each other naked plenty of times. It still unnerved her to place herself vulnerably before him, each time making the notion that they could return to being 'just friends' seem more impossible. Although she couldn't see things with them going the distance, she always fell prey to just enjoying whatever moment they happened to be in, content to worry about the consequences later.

She swept away the same errant blonde curl that had fallen into his eyes, as it was prone to do just before it was time for him to get a haircut. His hair was just the way she liked it, at that crossroads of barely neat enough to please his mother but not long enough to be unkempt. She ran her thumb across his lips just before he captured the pad of it in a soft kiss, his eyes never leaving hers. The things they did to each other surfaced out of nowhere. The random touches. The caresses. The elongated stares. All rose organically out of a deeply embedded need to feel, smell and taste every inch of each other as if there wouldn't be another chance. He never knew when she'd bolt and run. She never knew when he would succumb to the pressure and take a path of least resistance.

He released the gaze he had her locked in to lean forward and plant a butterfly kiss at her apex. Looking back up at her with darkened eyes one more time, he lowered his kisses slowly, one-by-one, before plunging his tongue between her folds. Katniss gasped in surprise in spite of the fact that she'd been expecting it. He loved doing this to her; he'd told her as much many times. She never tired of feeling his mouth on her. This had quickly become one of her favorite things. And he was, oh, so good at it! Not that she had anything to compare it to, but damn! And Peeta seemed to enjoy it as much as he enjoyed being inside her.

He angled his chin forward to get better access to where his tongue ached to be so badly, tasting her essence. But, spreading her legs as far as they could go without her falling didn't give him enough leverage to bury his face inside her the way he wanted to. He delicately but desperately lifted one leg over his shoulder while she used the wall and her other leg to support her weight. Instinctively, she grabbed a handful of his hair to pull him even closer.

The knot in her stomach grew and tightened as she cried, "Peeta. Please!"

Before she could register what was happening, he stood before her, wrapping the leg he still held around his torso. His hands slid to her ass to cup and lift her off her feet completely. She gasped as her face tumbled forward into the crook of his neck, partly from the surprise at his movements and the sensation of her bare, wet center grazing the front of his pants. She felt the earth move as he weaved his way around the apartment and into his bedroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Finishing what I started."

His breathing was labored and heavy as if he expected for this opportunity to vanish if he didn't hurry. But, as far as Katniss was concerned, she wasn't going anywhere. She just buried her face in his shoulder and enjoyed the ride. In his unintended haste, Peeta practically tossed her on the bed as he quickly whispered a hurried and heartfelt apology, only to be met with an anxious giggle from Katniss.

"Sorry. Got a little carried away."

He had grown accustomed to their time together being so hurried and rushed out of fear that whatever privacy they had was only temporary. Having time to really explore her and be with her seldom occurred. And he wasn't about to ruin it. She sat poised coyly on the side of the bed, naked, as he knelt down in front of her and wedged himself between her dusky thighs. She caressed the side of his face and pressed her lips to his in a way that was so heated and accepting that it conveyed exactly what she intended.

"No need to apologize."

The longing and gentleness in his eyes assured her that there wasn't a single thing this man would ask of her that she wouldn't face wild mutts to try and deliver. She captured his mouth in a dominating kiss designed to tell him that he had nothing to worry about and that she'd been silly in her insecurities about the other girls on his campus. She mentally pushed aside every negative reaction they'd ever gotten from anyone about their relationship as she continued to caress his face and explore his mouth. She sucked on his bottom lip before tilting her head a little farther and slicing her tongue between his lips, over his gums and around his mouth until she'd fully captured his tongue within her own. She gently sucked on the delicate piece of pink flesh that tasted like cinnamon and peppermint...and a hint of her own arousal. His whimper came with a buck of his hips as his hands travelled south to her hips, pulling her closer to the edge of the mattress.

"So fucking beautiful."

He let her explore his mouth a little more before he started to pull back, much to her chagrin, whispering "Where was I?"

Katniss eyed him with lustful mirth as he gently nudged her until her back met the mattress. He leaned forward and rolled his tongue around her navel, descending lower as he punctuated sweet kisses with anticipatory sighs. He grabbed one leg, followed by the other, and threw them over his shoulders before pulling her forward another inch or two on the mattress, essentially seating her against his face. She let out a tiny yelp as he threw his arm across her torso to give him more control before plunging his entire beautiful face into her womanly spot.

"Put your feet on my shoulders," he muffled against her skin. Her muddled mind comprehended very little except the sound of his rich voice. Still, she managed to do as he instructed. His tongue lapped greedily at her entrance as she widened her legs by placing her feet on his shoulders. His ministrations, though erratic at first, became more deliberate as he tasted her. He swiped his tongue between her wet folds, causing her hips to jut upwards. His lips searched for and found the pearl of sensitive flesh that made her grind her head into the mattress and tug on his hair for dear life.

The taste and feel of her against his tongue sent shockwaves to his groin, making it difficult to be crouched in that position. But, the discomfort paled in comparison to the joy he got from the cries and whimpers coming from her gorgeous mouth. One of her hands pawed the khaki and orange comforter while the other clawed and scratched at his scalp as she rode his face. Peeta hoisted her up a little higher, causing her legs to flap out freely and open more.

She opened her tightly clenched eyes and looked down at Peeta in his determination to please her with his mouth. The strain of holding her legs and hips up made his shoulders bulge and his arms flex deliciously. The masculine grunts and groans accompanied by the sounds of wetness from his assault on her clit made her spine quiver. She felt her core flex and roll from the sight...the sounds...the sensation of it all. With one final surge of his chin forward he wrapped his lips around her swollen bud and sucked the life right out of her. With a guttural wail, Katniss found her release while suspended half off the mattress and pressed against Peeta's strong, capable mouth.

He held her lower body aloft until she could place her feet, attached to trembling legs, on the floor beside the bed. He kissed each thigh and remained kneeling before her. She finally sat up in her orgasmic haze to grab him around the neck and bury her face in the crook of his neck and place light kisses along it. She nuzzled his face with her nose and kissed the tip of his own. She could smell herself on his mouth, nose and chin and, for the moment, felt like she could do without the rest of the world as long as she had Peeta.

He stroked her sides gently and pulled back to look at her. His face was reddened. His lips were wet and swollen. His hair was a disheveled mess from being pulled and tugged. And he never looked more beautiful. The sweetness of her reverie, however, was broken by typical Peeta humor.

"If that doesn't convince you that I don't want anyone else, I have a few more things I can show you."

She laughed softly, having forgotten all about the eye-fucking blonde...for the moment. But, humor would not douse the fire he lit in her core. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled his face towards hers and devoured, once again, the lips that were covered in her scent.

"Naked. Now." She whispered these words against his mouth and along his cheek as she fumble with the hem of his shirt.

"I'm all sweaty, remember."

"Don't care. I want you. I love your smell." She practically snatched his shirt up to his armpits. But, he willingly lifted his arms to make removing it easier. His manliness wafted through her nostrils as she rubbed her nose across his chest.

"Told ya, chicks dig musk," was his retort. She smacked his chest seductively before reaching for the clasp on his pants. He watched in utter interest as she unzipped his pants and shoved them past his hips. He stood up before her and helped slide them them down his thighs. She gazed up at him hungrily, then back at the tented boxers mocking her with the prize inside. Once his khakis reached his feet, he forced his boxers down slowly to join them as Katniss licked her lips in anticipation. She kissed the inner side of one thigh just below his scrotum and giggled inwardly at his cock flexing in reaction. He watched in awe as she angled his cock towards her mouth and descended on him with a long, wet stroke. It was his turn to gasp.

"Fuuuuuck."

She pulled her mouth back out to the tip, swirled her tongue around it and descended on him again. She could taste the saltiness on him that was evidence of a long day in the bakery. The salt mingled with a sweet and spicy essence that was distinctly Peeta.

He massaged her scalp gently with his fingertips as she bobbed up and down on him and glanced up occasionally to see his reaction. The love and reverence in his eyes made her throat tighten, nearly ruining the experience. She trailed her tongue along the under side of his cock and then hollowed her cheeks to apply more pressure. Peeta threw his head back in ecstasy and almost lost his balance. He squeezed his eyes tight, steeling himself, before sweeping his hands underneath her shoulders to pull her up to a standing position. She released him from her mouth with a pop, not prepared to end something so pleasurable. She wanted him to know how much she wanted him to please him and how sorry she was for her jealousy...without having to actually say so.

Katniss blinked, confused, "What's wrong? Was that not good?"

"You have no idea...the effect you have on me." He kissed her again and swept her into a hug before guiding her backward onto the bed. He crawled in after her and spread his body out over hers. He spoke in tones of velvet, "That was...magnificent. Always is. I just...I need to be inside you...so fucking bad right now."

He leaned on one elbow as he caressed her cheek with the other hand. His hand slid down to grip the semi-wet braid she'd fashioned her hair into after her shower. "Can I undo this?"

"Sure, but...it'll look like a bird's nest by the time it dries." She caressed the soft, blonde hairs on his arms, enjoying the warm feeling of nestling against him.

"Good." He toyed with the end of the braid below the tie that kept it together, "I love your hair wild and loose like that. It's like...fuck-me-hair."

She giggled in response as he removed the band at the end and slowly, seductively undid her curly hair. He finger-combed the curls and fanned them out along the pillow before leaning down to sweep his tongue through her mouth. The tenderness with which he did this set her on fire as much as when he fucked her hard. Their bodies mingled and tangled together, nooks meeting crannies and breath meeting sweat, as they kissed until they were breathless.

"Pee-Peeta?" He hovered over her and placed himself right between her soft thighs.

"Wha...?" He mumbled around her nipple as she sucked in a breath and let it out with a shiver.

"What if Deacon comes home and sees my clothes on the living room floor?"

"Don't worry. He won't be back tonight." He trailed a line from her breast up to her throat, his tone reassuring yet eager to get back to business.

"Oh?"

He saw the question form along with the lines on her forehead. He didn't want her to think he'd orchestrated the night just to get her in bed, although they both wanted and needed this. Most importantly he didn't want her to think he'd been discussing their intimate business with his brother. Katniss was finicky about privacy that way.

"He's spending the night at his girlfriend's. H-her roommate's out of town, so..." he released a breath he didn't realized he'd been holding. "This wasn't planned or anything, Katniss. I just thought..."

"Shhhh." She stopped his verbal fumbling with a soft fingertip to his lips. "I'm just glad to know I don't have to be quiet now."

"HHhmmm." The air rushed from his lungs unexpectedly. Finally being alone with Katniss was awesome. But, having an uninhibited Katniss, naked and completely alone, had to be a dream come true. "What're you trying to do to me, Katniss?"

"Whatever you want."

His lips were on hers. On her neck. Her chest and the swells of her breasts. Searching everywhere...

"Anything?" He looked up at her with that darkened innocence that got him just about anything he wanted from her in situations like this.

She scowled seductively, "Practically."

Her smell, her taste filled his nostrils...

"Well, there is this one thing I've been wanting to ask you, but..."

"Peeta, I want you. I don't care how. Just ask."

She was horny and a little impatient...

"Well...can we...like..." The boy who was never at a loss for words was suddenly choking on every syllable and turning beet red in the process.

"Well? Is it something weird?"

She trusted Peeta, but he was acting awfully strange. Just when she was beginning to let her walls down, he chose to become unsure of himself. She figured she just might have to take control and mount him herself...

"I don't think it's weird, but..."

"Then spill it, Mellark."

The words rushed forth before he could stop them, sounding like one long syllable, "CanIhaveyoufrombehind?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katniss blinked slowly as his words settled into her brain. She realized she'd been looking at him, confused, for several seconds. Peeta still hovered over her, appearing as if he wished he could suck the words right back in.

"A-are you serious?" She scrunched up her nose and stared at him in disbelief. "Peeta, I never thought you'd want to.."

Quickly interpreting what she was assuming, Peeta rushed, "No! God, no. Not that." He looked embarrassed. "Not down...there. Is that what you thought I meant?"

"Well, yeah."

"No, I mean the regular...spot. But," He lifted his shoulders slightly and gave the shy grin that was always her undoing. "But, just from behind."

"Oh," understanding lit her face. "Y-Yooouu mean doggie style?" It was more a statement than a question.

He felt immediately embarrassed and wished he could suck the words back in, "Please don't call it that."

Katniss softly tilted his averted gaze back to her with a tap on his chin, "Don't be embarrassed. That's what Johanna calls it."

"I'm sure she does," Peeta rolled his eyes playfully. "Just...never mind. Forget I asked. Now come here." His lips reached for hers once again, aching to reconnect.

His mouth was mere millimeters from hers when Katniss nervously bit her lip before closing the space between them and responded decidedly, "Okay."

"What?"

"Let's do it," she locked eyes with him unwaveringly. There was no hint of that shyness or hesitation that was usually there when he suggested something new.

"Really?" His eyes widened in disbelief.

She nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, Peeta."

"Because we don't have to do anything that makes you uncomf...oof!" She shoved his back to the mattress and hoisted one leg over his hips until she was straddling him. She leaned down as close as she could get, teasing him by gliding her lips over his.

"Shut up and kiss me, Peeta."

She'd heard Johanna talk about this position countless times. 'It's like Christmas meets Kama Sutra, ladies. So fucking awesome!'

Johanne enjoyed educating her and Madge on new ways to please a man while getting some pleasure for oneself at the same time. She reveled in being the most experienced in their group and didn't mind sharing information about her sexual conquests, solicited or not. Katniss' interest had been piqued, but Peeta was away at school at the time of this discussion. Now that he was home, she was too timid to ask him herself. It's as if her fantasy had been hand-delivered right to her front door.

Peeta kissed her back passionately before locking eyes with her and sweeping an unruly tendril from her face. He was still coming to terms with Katniss' newfound sexual bravado and was loving every minute of it. "You sure?"

Her only answer was to roll her hips into his torso and kiss him commandingly. Still shocked, he took the hint and flipped them over so that he was once again hovering over her, kissing her shoulder through mounds of curly, dark hair.

The nervousness over what they were about to do started to kick in when Katniss realized how intimate this was going to be. Much like the first time Peeta went down on her, the vulnerability of the act was something she had to prepare herself for. She would be totally exposed to him.

"I have no clue what I'm doing, Peeta."

He paused his kisses briefly, "Neither do I, but, I think we'll figure it out, babe."

She loved his confidence. He never sweated the details, always game to let nature take its course. Just like always. Peeta had a way of making hard things easy and the mundane seem exciting. He usually quelled her nerves before he even knew they were there.

He splayed his hand over her abdomen and gazed admiringly at her modest chest. She was always embarrassed by her lack of cleavage, but he thought she was absolutely perfect.

"Um, I think you need to turn over on your stomach," he offered. She obliged without hesitation, turning her body over and peering at him over her shoulder. She felt ridiculous, but the warmth of Peeta's hand on her thigh reminded her of what awaited her. Just one more bridge to cross with the person she trusted more than anyone else in this world.

He delicately pried her legs apart and situated himself behind her, resting his weight on his elbows again, "This okay?" He sucked in a sharp breath as she closed her eyes and nodded. He applied sloppy, wet kisses down the center of her shoulders. She could feel his hardness slide along her backside and graze her thigh as he explored the posterior of her prone body with his mouth. His hands slid underneath her to stroke her breasts. When he reached the base of her spine, her back arched naturally from the wet, tickling sensation, causing her delicate ass to lift into the air. Her core was raging with want for him to fill her up as he had so many times before. He laved his tongue over the curves of her backside, causing her to gasp. She liked it. A lot. Peeta continued to nip and suck at her curvy cheeks, giving new meaning to the words 'kiss my ass'.

"Oh, Peeta."

"Mmmhhhmmm."

She writhed and moaned as she slid one hand underneath her body to touch herself and add to the sensation. But, he was having none of that.

"That's my job, Everdeen. Keep your hands where I can see them."

"Please, Peeta."

"Patience, love."

She removed her hand reluctantly and placed both of them alongside her head, gripping the bedcovers.

"Push back on your knees."

The moment of truth had arrived, so she thought. But instead of feeling Peeta's beautiful cock graze her opening, she felt his fingers spread her open and stroke her folds admiringly. He'd seen this in a racy video that Gloss had on his computer and immediately thought of Katniss. He was shocked that she seemed so eager to try it, but was not about to question it.

Deacon's ever-present sexual coaching rang through his head, 'Wanna have a woman eating out of the palm of your hand? Never go straight for the pussy, Peet. Take your time. Play with her a bit. She'll be so hot for you, man. The hotter she is, the better it is for both of you.' Even he had to admit that Deacon's crass, often uninvited sexual advice seemed to be coming in handy lately.

"You're so wet, Katniss."

"Yes."

"Are you ready for me?"

"Yes!"

She could hear him moan as he licked her essence from his fingers, as if going down on her earlier hadn't satisfied his hunger. In anticipation, she rocked back ever so slightly in search of what she'd been waiting for. He gripped her hip with one slightly damp hand as he guided himself slowly inside her.

"Oh!" Her insides quivered and she could feel herself pulse around him as he drove deeper inside her, ever so slowly. He steadied himself by gripping her hips as he methodically pulsed in and out.

"Oh, fuck, Katniss!"

"Yeah, I know, right?"

His movements were slow and jerky at first for fear of hurting her. The pressure inside her core was different, but in a good way. She'd had Peeta many times before and each time was exquisite. But this! This...was blowing her mind. He continued to move inside her, giving her time to adjust.

"It's okay if you go faster now," she half whimpered. He gripped her more surely and increased his speed and pressure just enough to make a difference, still afraid to move too fast. Katniss' arms gave away to ecstasy at the increased speed, causing her forehead to collide with the mattress and her backside to lift higher in the air. This was definitely a game changer.

"Fuuuuuuck! Katniss! This is so...I might pass out."

Purely by happenstance, she had created a new angle, causing Peeta to go deeper inside her. The sight of his cock disappearing inside of her body and returning to view glistening with her juices was just too much for Peeta. She was beautiful from behind, her heart-shaped ass seeming to engulf his cock with each thrust. The sound of his skin slapping against hers, their centers meeting over and over again, and being able to see it all, was making him light-headed. He was not going to last long. He licked his lips and breathed deeply to calm himself into holding on.

The sounds she was making didn't help. She moaned and yelped as the covers bunched in her fists. She rocked back into his thrusts and opened herself to him. This was about more than sex. It was about Katniss trusting him enough to make herself vulnerable and open to him. For her, this was huge. He knew that when the day came that she was ready to say those three words, it would be epic. Monumental, even. He didn't mind wearing his heart on his sleeve for her for he knew she trusted very few people. And he was one of them. Katniss was able to relax so fully because Peeta took every caution and care with her. Having him guide himself inside her made her feel complete, a part of him; not separate. She felt as though he could actually be hers in these moments. All hers.

She continued to meet his thrusts as they found a rhythm that suited them both. Skin slapping skin. Hard meeting soft. Fast then slow. Gentle then rough. Her insides rolled and twisted. She lifted the upper half of her body by straightening her arms and tossing her head back. Peeta reached forward and grabbed a hand full of her rich, dark curls and twirled the strands between his fingers. With one final flourish, she arced back to meet his thrust and let out an anguished mewl that could surely be heard on the floor below. Her insides clenched and her body stiffened as the tidal wave hit her. She nearly collapsed onto the mattress again, but she held her own, not wanting to ruin the experience for Peeta whose labored breathing signaled he wouldn't be much longer.

She rocked with him until she was a noodle and her thighs quivered. He held her up by keeping a hold on her hips. She could feel his palms sweating against her thighs, just as her own sweat pooled down the center of her spine.

"Agh!" Peeta stiffened and completed inside her with a sound that was nearly unrecognizable as his voice. He pulsed in and out of her until he finished completely. His body finally collapsed on top of hers, mingling the sweat on his chest with hers on her back. Neither could hold themselves up any longer. They were no strangers to physical exhaustion, but this left them spent.

He withdrew from inside her and rolled onto his side, pulling her body into his. She curled into him, mimicking two spoons in a drawer with barely a millimeter between them. Peeta lazily kissed the back of her sweaty shoulder, humming with pleasure as she sighed loudly. He reached forward and laced his fingers with hers, prompting her to bring them towards her mouth to kiss his knuckles.

She craned her neck to peer back at him as he leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to hers. "You're incredible, Katniss."

They apparently dozed off for a few minutes, for when they awoke the sunlight no longer streamed through the sheer curtains of his bedroom window. Peeta peered between sticky eyelids at Katniss, who leaned on one elbow and stared at him with a faint smile on her face.

"You checking me out again, Everdeen?"

"Definitely. You look sexy. Ummm...but you need a shower. You smell like sex and cinnamon."

She wrinkled her nose playfully as he shoved his armpit over her face, making her squeal.

"And..." She bit her bottom lip seductively and stroked his with the pad of her thumb, "you have pussy breath."

Peeta knew she was teasing him but the gesture was still so damn sexy it made him stir again. Just hearing her say that word was fanning his flames in spite of the fact that he'd just had her barely an hour ago. "Shower with me?"

"Well, since you dirtied me up after my shower...okay."

The hot water soothed his tired muscles as it splashed around him. Working in the bakery was exhausting, and he knew he needed to have dinner and get some sleep to start all over again tomorrow. But, this was the first time he and Katniss had total privacy and a whole night together. Alone. He was determined to draw it out as long as possible. She had finished washing up, with his eager help, and was now washing and kneading the tight spots in his back with her small, strong, soapy hands.

"Ahhhh. I wish I could freeze this moment and live in it forever." Her movements only faltered slightly. A stranger would've completely missed it, but Peeta was no stranger to Katniss and her emotional twists and turns. One minute she'd be looking at him with what he thought was unmistakable love in her eyes. And the next she'd be running away from him for mentioning any hint at a future together. He decided to ignore it and turned around to face her.

He carded his wet fingers through her thick, damp curls.

"Does this irritate you?"

"Not when you do it." She'd had her share of random strangers' remarks about her hair and asking to touch it. It always made her feel as if she were something at the petting zoo or some weird science experiment. But, Peeta hadn't made her feel that way when she first met him. All of his curiosity about her and her family had been driven by a genuine interest in her as a person. The first time he grabbed her braid and ran his fingers to its tip had been so spontaneous and genuine, that she knew there was something different about Peeta.

"Good. Because I love your hair. Leave it out?"

"I've already warned you. It'll be a bird's nest after it dries."

He enveloped her in a warm hug and inhaled the scent of shea butter and vanilla. "Mmmm. I see you found the shampoo I got for you."

"Yes, I meant to thank you earlier but I got a little...um busy." She leaned up to meet his lips but the kiss landed on the tip of his nose. "Thank you. And you even remembered the conditioner, which is very important for us curly girls."

"Yes, I remembered. Because I'm an awesome boyfriend."

She chuckled at the self-satisfied smirk on his handsome face, but the seriousness in her response was not lost on him, "Yes, you are." He could see it in her eyes even when she refused to say it. Katniss loved him. He didn't need the words. Not yet. But someday.

"Did I ever tell you that your hair was the first thing about you that I noticed?"

"Kind of hard to miss this hair amongst all those blonde-haired kids at our old school."

"That's not why I noticed it, Katniss. It's different. And beautiful. Just like you."

"You're different from most people, Peeta. Most people just see differences as odd."

He pursed his lips thoughtfully and blinked away the water dripping onto his pale lashes, "Mmmm, I disagree. I don't think people care as much about differences as you think they do. For the most part anyway."

'Except for people like my mother', is what he really wanted to say.

"Oh, they do. I see the looks they give us in certain places."

"Well, they just happen to be looking at us because you're so damn beautiful."

She scoffed at his intended compliment as she turned the water off and reached over the shower door for a towel. "You forget...I grew up with those looks. Whenever we went out as a family, people looked at us like we were aliens. Mom and Prim with their light hair and skin next to me and my dad..." She shook her head, exasperated in trying to explain her childhood to someone who probably didn't even understand. Peeta was one of the rare individuals who saw the good in everyone he met.

Peeta followed her out of the shower and grabbed a towel from a rack over the toilet, "I just don't feel the need to apologize for being attracted to someone who happens to be different from me. The world can kiss my ass."

"That's not what I'm trying to say, Peeta. You just need to understand that not everyone will find beauty in what they see when they look at us." She moved to stand in front of the bathroom mirror and wiped a path through steamed glass with her hand. Peeta moved in behind her, melding her back to his front. He reached for the knot that held the towel in place at her breasts, "Okay?"

She nodded as she tried to comprehend what he was doing, but he'd already released the towel and let it fall to the floor around her ankles. He snaked his hands around her waist and motioned to the image in the foggy mirror they faced: his pale arms resting along the creamy mocha latte hue of her stomach. She stared at their bodies aligned together through the steam-clouded mirror. Peeta leaned forward to wipe some more of the fog away and to kiss her shoulder,

"I'm an artist, Katniss. I find beauty in contrast."

The intimacy of the moment made her nervous. She wanted to be able to tear her eyes away from his, but knew she couldn't if her life depended on it. The steam enveloped them in an almost dream-like scene as he held her against his chest and buried his nose into the side of her head and inhaled.

"Sometimes the most beautiful surprises come in packages we didn't expect. Have you ever opened a wonderful gift and questioned the wrapping it was in?"

She leaned further into him. wishing that they could lock themselves away like this forever. She'd never told him about the incident in the ladies room back in high school, and she certainly didn't have the courage to tell him about it now. No matter how relevant it was.


	5. Clutch 3

**April 2007, Junior Year of High School**

Katniss was just about to flush after finishing up her business in between classes when she heard two of the most dreaded voices that ever graced the hall of District High. Clove and Cashmere burst into the bathroom in a tornado of hair and loud perfume, obviously in the middle of a conversation.

"Who gives a fuck about her? I'm telling you, I think you should ask him anyway." That was definitely Cashmere's nasaly voice. She spent most of her day primping and posing in front of the mirrors in the hallways and the other portion with her nose up Clove's ass.

"I mean, what are they, anyway? Are they friends? Fuck buddies? It's so...like...weird."

Katniss had to roll her eyes to keep from snorting behind the door. 'So eloquent', she thought. She wasn't sure who they were talking about, but she had her suspicions. It was well-known that Clove had a thing for Peeta. Well, a lot of girls did. But, no one was as brazen as the salty brunette when it came to going after whomever she wanted. Peeta just happened to be her current target.

She had not intended to eavesdrop, only to hang out long enough to avoid facing these two since her day was going so unbelievably well. She'd gotten an A+ on her American Government test and was planning on sitting with Peeta and Delly at lunch to discuss plans for the upcoming Junior Class Retreat. They were all on the student council together and wanted to make sure they had their say in how things went.

"Who cares, Clove. I mean, I don't think she's his...ugh...girlfriend or anything." Katniss could sense the forced shudder and grimace that the vapid blonde must have displayed, since her equally dumb friend couldn't stop laughing.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, what does he see in her anyways? Those clothes look like they're straight from the JC Penney clearance rack. And that hair! Oh, my god! Have you ever seen anything so unruly?" It was Cashmere's turn to laugh. "A good straightener could work wonders on that mop."

Katniss stealthily positioned herself so that she could peer through the crack between the door and the stall. Cashmere was half-seated on the countertop with one leg dangling and the other on the floor. Clove was bent slightly over the countertop, leaning close to the mirror while she applied more mascara. Both girls were dressed in the latest fashions with obviously high-maintenance hair and makeup that certainly didn't come from the 2-for-1 shelf at Walgreen's. They looked exactly like the type of girls she knew Peeta's mother would want for him. But, as far as she knew, he had no interest in either of them. Peeta seemed to have no interest in anything besides his studies, sports and hanging out with his friends. Especially Katniss. That crack about the straightener further confirmed her suspicions that they were indeed talking about her and Peeta and their hard-to-define relationship with each other.

Clove snatched a paper towel from the dispenser on the wall and dabbed at the corners of her eyeliner-caked eyes, "That does it. I'm asking him. Though, I'll have to find a time when he's alone since she follows him around like a little puppy dog."

"Well, you know what that's about," Cashmere straightened her shoulders and peered at her companion through fake lashes.

'Who in the hell wears fake lashes in high school?' Katniss wondered.

Cashmere didn't wait for Clove to answer her, "My older brother told me that black girls are really easy."

Clove stared at her in excited agreement, "Yeah, I know. I've heard the same thing. I mean look how many babies they have."

"Right! And you know high school boys. They'll fuck anything that moves. At least until the right one comes along. And that, my dear, is where you come in. You have to bust that shit up pronto!"

"Well, she's lucky a guy like that even gives her a second look."

Katniss couldn't take it any longer. She slung the door open and stepped out, nearly tripping over her backpack. She didn't have time to be embarrassed; she simply picked it up and moved towards the sink and the girls. Cashmere at least had the nerve to look a little ashamed and a lot scared. Clove, on the other hand, folded her arms over her chest and mocked, "Well, well. Look-a-here. I guess the mutt is housebroken."

"Fuck you, Clove," Katniss' heart beat erratically with anger and embarrassment. She hadn't felt this wound up in a long time. Leave it to these two bitches to ruin a perfect day. "If I had a dollar for every dick you've sucked, I could afford to shop somewhere besides the clearance rack, too."

Katniss scowled at the girls and advanced forward to wash her hands. Cashmere, thinking she had more sinister intentions, nearly fell over trying to get her ass off the counter. Clove just stood there, looking her up and down. Katniss refused to drop the stare she was locked in with the mean-girl. She'd had standoffs with Clove since elementary school. She wasn't afraid of her then and she wasn't going to back down now.

Clove huffed and shook her head, grabbing her backpack off the counter and moving towards the door, "Come on, Cas. Starting to smell in here."

When the girls left, not sparing her a last look, she leaned on the countertop for support. She felt tears threatening to burn behind her eyelids, but refused to let them fall. She reached forward with shaky hands to turn on the cold faucet and placed her hands under the stream. The cool water was soothing, a direct contrast to the way her entire body felt. She'd dealt with this all of her life and was not able to just turn a blind eye to it any longer. If Peeta wanted to go to prom with that plastic bitch, she wasn't going to get in the way.

She splashed some of the cool water on her face, dried it with a paper towel and headed to her next class. Thankfully, neither Peeta nor Delly was in that class, so she sat at the very front with her back to everyone. The lesson droned on and on, seemingly endlessly, until the chime for lunch finally sounded. She rushed from the classroom to get to the library before the hallways got crowded, making it easier to possibly avoid Peeta and Delly. She sent them a quick text:

Katniss: Forgot to do chem hw. In the library for lunch. U guys go ahead wo me.

Delly: Can I grab you something to munch on?

Peeta: Need any help?

Katniss: Nah. Really need to be alone right now.

Delly: OK. Lemme know if you change your mind :-)

Peeta: ttyl. ride home after?

Katniss: I'll let you know.

By the time lunch was over, she was starving. She thought she might be able to sneak into the cafeteria to grab an orange or something, but as soon as she turned down the hallway leading to it, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was fucking Clove standing in front of Peeta with her hand on his forearm. Her eyelashes were going a mile a minute and Peeta seemed to be nodding politely to whatever she was saying. Katniss knew what was up. She didn't feel so hungry all of a sudden and turned quickly around to head back towards the classrooms.

Peeta blinked at Clove and politely excused himself, "Excuse me, Clove. Gotta run to my next class." Neither saw the hateful look Clove hurled at their backs as they left.

Peeta called after his friend, "Katniss!" But, she pretended to be in a hurry and not hear him. She realized how stupid this was, however, when she remembered that they shared the next class anyway.

"Katniss, wait!" He caught up to her within a few swings of his long, heavy legs. "Hey, did you finish chem?"

"Yeah," she lowered her head to track her feet as they moved towards the chemistry lab, refusing to look him in the eye else she'd burst into tears. Peeta sensed immediately that something was up.

"Hey," he softly grabbed her arm to halt her. Her nerves were frazzled and she had no fight in her to resist him. "What's going on? Everything alright?"

"Yeah, Peeta. Everything's fine," she grabbed an unruly curl that had escaped her braid and tucked it behind her ear. She still avoided his eyes, though.

"I call bullshit." They still had about 3 minutes before the final bell, and the chemistry lab was just a few steps away. Peeta glanced around the hallways before grabbing her hand and pulling her into an unlocked supply closet. "Talk to me, Katniss."

He seemed concerned, just like he always was for her. 'Great,' she thought. 'All I need is for everyone to think I'm fucking Peeta in the supply closet. Black girls are easy, you know.'

Katniss huffed and tried to avoid the insistent glare of those blue eyes. She knew looking at him was going to be a mistake. Once those eyes were locked on hers, she was powerless. She couldn't hide. Couldn't lie. Couldn't pretend. But, she wasn't about to tell Peeta what had happened in the bathroom. So, she told a half-truth, "I'm just not myself today. I'm really tired. Just want this day to be over."

The look on his face said that he didn't buy that one-hundred percent. But, knowing his friend like he did, he also knew that pushing her would just make it worse. So, he said, "Wanna catch a ride with me after school?"

"I gotta walk over and get Prim from the middle school."

"We can swing by and get her."

"You don't have to do that, Peeta."

"I know I don't. I want to. Besides...I uh, kinda wanna talk to you about something."

Her brow wrinkled in confusion, "What about?"

The way his ears turned red and he stammered his words made her even more confused, "I-It can wait until after school. We better get to class."

For someone who dragged her into this closet, he sure was in a hurry to suddenly get to class. This was it. He was going to tell her that he was going to prom with Clove. Her stomach dropped, making her feel sick. She hadn't had lunch and now she wasn't even hungry. Maybe he wanted to ask her advice about girls. If Peeta wanted to take that bitch to prom, she wouldn't have anything to say about it. In spite of how rotten this whole thing was making her feel, she decided to drop it for now, "Okay, then. I'll just head to your car after my last class."

She and Delly shared a station during chemistry lab. Midway through the lesson, Delly placed a note onto her text book, 'Has he asked you yet?'

Katniss made sure the teacher's back was to the class before turning to her friend and gesturing her confusion with a shake of her head and a raise of her shoulders, mouthing 'Who? What?' At that time, Mrs. Coin, sensing something, turned around to survey the class. Seeing nothing, she turned back around to face the board again.

Delly grabbed the note and scribbled on it again, 'I swear, Kat. Sometimes your so oblivious :-)' When Katniss turned to look at Delly, even more flummoxed than before, all her friend could do was roll her eyes jokingly and shake her head. All this time, Peeta, who was seated two rows in front of them next to Marvel, never turned around. After their last class, and before Prim joined them in the car, Peeta asked Katniss the question that would change the course of their friendship forever.

"Katniss, will you go to prom with me?"

Everything that had her feeling down earlier that day lifted as soon as he said the words she didn't even know she was waiting to hear. Prom night would become the night they would lose their virginity to each other, adding new dimension to their 'friendship'.

**Present Day. July, Summer 2009**

"Peeta," she sighed with resignation, "your rose-colored glasses are a little fogged over. That's just not how the world works." She still had never told Peeta about everything that had happened that day. He always saw the world through beams of sunlight and veils of dancing butterflies. And he still did to this day. She knew that, without outside influences, she and Peeta could be just fine. But, that just wasn't realistic. She had to stay grounded. She'd not had the luxury of living in innocent oblivion since her father died. She couldn't afford to think like that.

Peeta released a serene, satisfied breath, bringing her out of her thoughts. He was still standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist, staring at their image in the mirror, "I don't care about the world. I just care about you." He knew that continuing to debate this would surely ruin the night and decided to drop the subject altogether. He lowered his head to stroke soft kisses along her right shoulder, "Okay. I'm hungry."

Katniss raised one eye brow as she felt her nipples begin to peak slightly, "Again?"

He chuckled against her skin, "Although I could survive on a steady diet of Katniss for breakfast," he punctuated each word with a soft kiss to the back of her neck. "Lunch. And dinner, I'm hungry for some of that stew this time."

This made her laugh and relax into him; and that made him happy. Making her smile was what he lived for, and he wasn't about to allow others' perceptions to interfere with that. The only person that could get in the way of his feelings for Katniss would be Katniss herself, if she ever decided she didn't want to be with him.

Katniss awoke the next morning to find the space where Peeta had slept was empty. The smell of something sweet and yeasty wafted in from the kitchen as she stretched the cobwebs from her muscles. Her eyes adjusted to the sun just beginning to climb through Peeta's sheer curtains, and she spotted her clothes from the previous day neatly folded at the foot of Peeta's bed.

The domesticity of it all wasn't lost on her. Spending the night wrapped up in his arms. Awakening to him obviously making her breakfast. Him washing her clothes. She didn't know what was worse. Ignoring this feeling or relishing in it just to have it snatched away someday. She chanced a look at the clock on the bedside table and gasped. Peeta was over two hours late for his bakery shift.

"Shit!" She quickly threw on her uniform and dashed into the adjoining bathroom to re-braid her hair and brush her teeth. She tossed all of her things into her workbag before running out into the kitchen in a panic.

"Peeta, you're late and you're seriously making cheese buns? Why didn't you wake me? You'll catch shit from your mom all day long for this."

"Relax," he took a couple of steps toward her and planted a kiss right in the center of her forehead. "I texted Deacon last night to see if he'd open for me. As long as I'm there before the rush, we're good."

Peeta thought back to the text conversation that he and his brother had shared.

Peeta: Hey man. Can you open for me tomorrow?

Deacon: I know you spent the evening balls deep in your little girlfriend. And I'm happy for you. Really, I am. But you owe me, bro.

Peeta: Be there by 8. Promise. I'll take one of your days.

He did owe Deacon. He owed him for so much more than taking his shift. He'd been the buffer between him and his mother's wrath for so long and far too often.

"Besides, Mom never looks at the schedule anyways. As long as that account is full when she comes to do the midday collection, she could give less than a shit. You don't have to be at work at the crack of dawn like I do. So, I thought I'd let you get some rest."

"Well, you should've taken advantage and slept in, too."

"Why?" Peeta placed his hands on her hips and gently pulled her into him. He was so close she could feel his breath tickle her cheeks. "Did you miss me?"

The memory of last night swam back to the surface, threatening to reignite a flame they had no time to quench. She had missed him. So much that it was the vacancy of his body heat that had awakened her without the benefit of an alarm clock. He met her as she tip-toed and edged her mouth close to his. She savored the kiss that ended with his top lip between her own. Peeta pulled back and looked at her through hazy eyes.

"Hard to break old habits, I guess. Since I was up, I thought I'd make your favorite."

"Thank you. You're too good to me."

"Not as good as I want to be."

She gave him a small smile and willed her heart to slow down. She ran her hand up and down his arm, dreading the moment when they'd have to go their separate ways. She could get used to this, for sure. Now that Peeta had his own place, being together could be so much easier, if only for the remainder of the summer.

"We'd better get going," she whispered.

Peeta stepped back reluctantly and handed her a still warm cheese bun wrapped in a napkin before he grabbed his keys and they headed out the door. When they pulled up in front of the forestry building, he leaned in and gave her a final chaste kiss to the lips, "I really enjoyed last night."

"Me, too. A lot."

Katniss bit her bottom lip and glanced shyly at the dashboard. A bit of planning, on both their parts, had gone into having this first night in Peeta's new place. She'd told her mom that she would catch a ride home with Rue and spend the night with her. Then she'd just ride to work with Rue the next morning. Peeta would pick her up and bring her home that evening, leaving her mother to think that he was simply her ride home. She did it more out of respect than necessity. She was nineteen, after all, and had been raising herself and Prim ever since her mom checked out on them. Although things between them were better, she was still fiercely independent where her mother was concerned. But, she didn't see the need to flaunt her activities in her mother's face. Besides, she didn't want to hear the whole purity-until-marriage speech again.

"I'll pick you up and give you a ride home."

She knew it was because he didn't want her to have to catch a ride with Gale or Cato. Although it irritated her on some small, barely visible level, she secretly liked the little bit of jealousy he displayed sometimes. "If you're sure that's okay."

"No problem at all, Katniss. Enjoy your day."

She got out of the car and watched him pull out, giving her a wave before turning towards the road. She turned to find Cato staring at her with a blank look on his face. When she passed him up to head into the building, she detected the slightest shake of his head, which she duly rewarded with her middle finger.

They pulled up in front of Katniss' house at just before six in the evening.

"Did you have as much trouble concentrating at work today as I did?" he asked as the engine idled in her driveway.

"Let's just say I barely dodged getting attacked by a swarm of bees. I was collecting samples from this tree branch and didn't even notice the huge hive hanging from it. If it wasn't for Rue, you'd probably be visiting me in the ER right now."

"Okay. You win. All I did was send a toddler's birthday cake to a bachelorette party, and vice versa."

"Ew!"

"Yeah. Ew." Peeta looked as if he was reluctant to leave, "Say, some of us are going to hang out at Finnick's tonight. It was supposed to be bro night, but Finn invited Annie. Then Thresh invited Rue, so..."

Katniss cut him off prematurely, "I don't know. Let me see what's going on with Prim."

"It's okay. I don't want to monopolize your time this summer. I just...I'd love it if you came too."

Katniss immediately felt guilty. She wanted nothing more than to spend all of her time with him. But, she still felt like her mom couldn't be trusted to look after Prim 100%, not even years after her episode with depression. Although the girl was fifteen years old and could fend for herself, she knew what kind of trouble an unsupervised teenager could get into.

"Who knows. Prim may have a friend over tonight and I won't have to worry about her being bored. My mom, she's in and out sometimes, you know?"

"Hey, I totally get it. No worries if you can't," he gave her that genuine smile that let her know that everything was alright. She couldn't help but return it. They chatted for a bit longer, until the conversation turned to what had happened the last time they were parked in her driveway. With a sigh and a blush, she pecked him on the cheek one final time and got out of his car, else she was in danger of telling him to just turn the car around and go back to his apartment.

She walked inside to find Prim curled up on the sofa with Buttercup, watching Gilmore Girls. "Hey, look what the cat dragged in."

She ruffled the girls hair, "Hey, Little Duck." She was no longer Little Duck; more like Teenage Duck. Katniss wondered where the time had gone and when her sister had become so grown up.

"Where have you been?" her sister asked.

Katniss tried to form an authentic-sounding lie in her brain before it exited her mouth, "At Rue's and at work, nosey." She could feel the heat rising at the tips of her ears, a sure sign that she was lying. Thankfully, her dusky complexion did a good job in masking the blush that usually crept up her neck, face and ears when she was uncomfortable. She was a terrible lier. Before she could worry too much about Prim believing her, she heard her mother call to her from the kitchen.

"Katniss, can you come in here, please?" She was seated at the kitchen table bent over the wooden box that should have been hidden at the bottom of Katniss' closet. 'Oh, shit,' she thought. Her heart began to pound at the realization of all the private things that were hidden in that box.

"What's going on, mom?" Katniss' eyes grew wide as they flicked between her mother and the box. Mrs. Everdeen halted her with a silent finger as she yelled to Prim to finish her episode in her bedroom. She didn't want the younger girl overhearing. After a small protest, Prim turned off the television and left. Mrs. Everdeen didn't speak again until she heard the door close. By this time, Katniss knew what was up. Her mother had found her birth control pills.

"You mind telling me what the hell this is?" She opened the box and retrieved a three-month supply of pills and waved them in front of her daughter's face, her voice never going above a loud whisper.

Katniss was floored and embarrassed but still indignant. How dare this woman, who wasn't even lucid enough to make sure she ate when she was eleven, suddenly be so concerned about her welfare at nineteen? It was a part of their relationship that they still struggled with.

"Why are you going through my things, mom?" Katniss did not whisper.

"I wouldn't have gone through your things if I hadn't found out you lied to me." She couldn't deny that.

"So, are you checking my stories now?"

"No, Katniss. The car started acting weird today so I took it over to Lucas Domingue's shop."

"Oh." Lucas was Rue's dad who owned a mechanic and body shop. Mrs. Everdeen had been taking their old clunker there ever since her husband had died.

"Quite naturally I asked if you girls had a good time last night. But he looked at me as if I had three heads, Katniss! He told me that he hadn't seen you. I must say my heart was in my throat. I thought something terrible had happened. Lucas had to give me a glass of water and sit me down, I was so bad off. He had the presence of mind to call Rue who told him that you were at work and was fine. She didn't want to expose you, but she knew I was worried. So, she told her father that Peeta had dropped you off that morning."

Now she wouldn't be able to look Mr. Domingue in the eye again. Great! "That still doesn't give you a reason to go through my stuff!"

"This is my house, Katniss. And I'm still waiting for my daughter to explain to me why she has a six-month supply of birth control when we clearly have talked about the consequences of premarital sex!" Her mother stopped herself as her voice was beginning to rise like her daughter's. She took a deep breath to calm herself, "Are you two having sex?"

"That's none of your business!" Katniss' turn to raise her voice again.

"You are my business!" Now things had escalated out of control and she knew that Prim would be hearing everything, making her being excused from the room even more ironic. "Are you and Peeta sleeping with each other?"

Katniss folded her arms and looked at the refrigerator, knowing that had her father been here, none of this would be happening right now. "I wasn't always your business. There was a time when you couldn't have cared less what was happening with me. You pick now to be a mom?"

Her mother's in-and-out obsession with her and Prim's lives was a bit whacked. It confounded and confused her. One minute she was expected to be a grownup; the next she had to buckle down and do what her mother dictated. She didn't understand why Prim had been excused from the room like she didn't know what sex was. Just another thing about her mother that confused her. She'd left them to their own devices for four years, from the time Prim was seven until she turned eleven. Now, at fifteen, she felt she had to protect her from any discussion about sex. As protective as Katniss was of her little sister, she was realistic. Acting like sex was this mysterious thing inside Pandora's box didn't mean that she wouldn't succumb to the signals her body would be sending her someday.

Mrs. Everdeen's face softened as the truth of her daughter's words sank in. It wasn't the first time she'd heard these words. She was still struggling with her natural instinct to smother her girls and her battles with being completely checked out. She'd apologized to them over and over, but knew that Katniss had the hardest time moving past it.

Katniss still hadn't answered her question, which brought a shaky sigh from her mother's lips, "Oh, God. How long?"

"I am a grown woman, mom. I've been grown up since I was eleven." Her mother looked as if she would pass out. Katniss realized what her words implied and corrected herself, "No! Not like that! Geez, I wasn't having sex at eleven."

Katniss shuddered subconsciously at the thought. Mrs. Everdeen was clearly relieved, "Katniss, I know that you are a responsible young woman, but you have to be careful. If I had my way, no man would touch you until your wedding night."

This was turning out to be the weirdest, most awkward conversation she'd ever had. "But, it looks like I may be too late for that. Am I?" Katniss looked at the floor and toed the yellowing tile with her shoe...and nodded. Her mother placed her hand over her mouth and nodded in understanding, tears rimming her eyes.

Katniss didn't see what the big deal was. She stood there, fiddling with a button on her uniform as her thoughts raced, 'Having sex doesn't make you a whore. As long as there's love and understanding between two people, how could it be wrong? Wait, does that mean I'm in love with Peeta?'

"Okay. We can get through this. I just need you to tell me what's going on with you two," Mrs. Everdeen took another deep breath, "I mean, one minute you're friends and...I always suspected there was some attraction there, but nothing like this, Katniss." The woman fidgeted nervously in her seat, all the while staring up at her daughter looking for some reaction.

"Katniss, his mother is a racist. I've told you that. And none of those men in that family ever go against her. I just don't want you to become his..." she waved her hands about wildly, searching for the correct words. "...his butt dial or whatever."

This prompted Katniss to look at her mother squarely for the first time since she'd entered the kitchen, "Butt dial, mom? What. On earth. Are you talking about?"

"You know, someone you call just for sex?"

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You mean booty call, mom."

"Whatever it's called. Listen, I love Peeta. I think he's a sweet boy. But, you will not be his dirty little secret. Do you understand me?"

"It's not a secret to anyone else. Good, looking out, mom." The hurt on her mom's face was evident, making her feel like a complete bitch for saying it.

"And you're telling me that Evelyn Mellark is okay with this?"

"No, I'm not telling you that. I'm telling you that anyone who matters knows about us already." She continued to stare at a spot on the floor, the words feeling foreign to her tongue.

Her mother sniffled and nodded, getting the implication behind her words, "I see. Just understand that that woman has a very low opinion of anyone who isn't white and she will always think you're not good enough for her son. You are my daughter and I would be wrong to not warn you about these things. It's no different than when your father and I married. People didn't understand us."

"Thank you, mother. So I've heard. A million times. May I please have my box back now?"

"Katniss, honey. Look at me," her mother stood and moved so that they were facing. She grabbed her daughter's hand, "I still think you're making a mistake. I wish you hadn't done this, but I'm glad you're protecting yourself. Does he wear condoms?"

"Oh, dear God, mother!" Katniss snatched up the box and bolted down the hallway to her room. When she placed the box underneath the pile of clothes in her closet, the quiet of the space drew her in just as it had after her father had died. So, she crawled in after it and lay atop the blanket of garments that covered the floor. They felt cool to the touch, coaxing her to nuzzle deeper within. She felt around until she found the pearl pendant that hung from the delicate chain around her neck and proceeded to soothe herself by stroking it across her bottom lip. It always reminded her of Peeta's smooth lips. He'd given it to her for Christmas and she'd clung to it as quite possibly the only part of him that she would be able to keep once college ended and they became adults.

If her own mother, who'd fallen for a man not of her own race, couldn't see any future in her relationship with Peeta, then maybe she'd been right all along. The tears came out of nowhere, and she didn't try to stop them. She didn't know how long she'd been there when Prim slowly inched the closet door open. 'I really need to fix the lock on my bedroom door,' she thought.

"Katniss," she whispered shyly.

"Go away, Prim." Instead of complying, the young girl crawled into the closet and wrapped her body around her big sister's.

"Don't believe what mom says. Peeta loves you. I know he does."

"I'm not in love with Peeta, Prim."

"Stop it, Katniss. Yes you are. I'm not saying in what way. Maybe you don't even know yourself. But, you do love him."

Katniss tilted her neck to get a look at her little sister who wasn't so little anymore. She could barely make out her blonde-ish corkscrew curls and blue eyes in the dark closet. But, it wasn't so dark that she couldn't see the wisdom that was far beyond the girl's fifteen years. "When did you get so grown up?"

"You were too busy eye-fucking Peeta to notice."

Katniss couldn't help but laugh, though her sister's words caught her by surprise, "Prim, watch your mouth!"

Peeta had texted and called several times within the past hour, but she was too emotionally drained to answer. She thought it was best to just let him go have fun with his friends without her. He didn't need her following him around like a little puppy dog. It wasn't until Prim burst into her room for the second time that day that she allowed herself to think anything different.

"What the hell, Katniss? Why aren't you answering Peeta?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He just called me worried because you weren't answering hist texts or his calls. Please call him."

"Why did he call you?"

Prim rolled her eyes exasperatedly, "Look, don't take this thing with mom out on him. It's not his fault his mom's a bitch. And it's not your fault that our mom looks at everything with a dark cloud over it. Don't be like her, Katniss. You're too much like dad to let that happen. I don't think I could take another Everdeen being like that."

She could see the seriousness and fear in Prim's eyes. "Just enjoy this summer with him before it's over."

She knew Prim was right. For their four-year difference in age, Prim was often the one that taught her the valuable lessons. So, she checked her phone to see that Peeta had been trying repeatedly to get her to come out to Finnick's. But, from the looks of the last few messages, he'd already left. She called him to tell him thanks anyway, but he insisted on turning his car around and coming to get her.

"It just wouldn't be any fun without you. Besides, I don't want to sit and watch Finnick and Annie suck face by myself all night."

Prim helped her pick out something casual, but cute. She slid into a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and an orange tank top that skimmed just above the waistline. She moisturized and re-braided her hair and threw on her most comfortable brown leather sandals. Prim insisted upon applying 'just a little' eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss just before Peeta knocked on the door.

He was aware enough to notice the new icy tone to Mrs. Everdeen's greeting. The woman didn't say anything, but looked at Katniss with concerned eyes as she said her goodbyes and followed Peeta to his car. He opened the door for her and leaned in to give her a kiss to the corner of her mouth before she got in.

"I know it's only been a few hours, but I really missed you today. I'm really glad you decided to come out tonight."

"Me, too, Peeta." Katniss found that she really meant that. She had missed him. His presence always made everything better. Though he'd not been there to deal with what she faced when she got home, having him with her now made all of that seem like it was in the distant past. And, she was glad she'd ignored her mother's worries. They were unfounded. Peeta was a good person and they would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this. Follow my story, A Thin Grey Line, if you're not already. I'll be updating soon. Thanks again for all of the support.


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